Welcome Home
by Maresia Eterna
Summary: COMPLETE A marriage of convenience forces Hinata to run away only to find out that her new apartment had also been rented to Naruto. With no money, Hinata and Naruto decide to live together as flat mates. But what about Hinata's fiancé?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. _Yue Takasuka_ owns the manga **Good Morning Call**, which was the muse for this story. As for me, I simply decided to twist the world of our favourite ninja by adding some of my characters. Therefore, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

**Title:** Welcome Home

**Rating:** T

**Genres:** Drama, Romance, Humour, Friendship, Angst

**Warnings:** Language

_**Main**_ **Pairings:** Naruto x Hinata

_**Romantic**_** Pairings:** Shikamaru x OC, Choji x Ino

**Romantic _Hints_: **Sasuke x Hinata, Sasuke x Sakura, Shikamaru x Temari, Neji x Tenten

**Authoress Note: **Ever since I started reading _Shogun_, by James Clavell, that I decided that it would not hurt to add a few Japanese words here and there. I know some people don't like it, but I thought I could give it a try, and see how it worked. I hope you guys don't mind. Also,I just want to apologize for the errors you'll find; since **English** is my _**second**_ language, it's rather hard for me to correct the mistakes that I leave on every page before posting the new chapter.

**Summary:** A marriage of convenience forces Hinata to abandon her home, and start living by herself. What she was not expecting was to move into her new apartment only to discover that it was also rented to non-other than Uzumaki Naruto, the guy she has loved ever since she was little. With no money and no home to return to, Hinata and Naruto decide to live together as flat mates. But what about Hinata's fiancé? Naruto x Hinata

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**Welcome Home**

_Prologue_

That could only be described as a bad dream…a _very_ bad dream. Every time she reached out for a piece of clothing, she would hear her father's words echoing through her mind, almost as if taunting her…daring her to leave although she was fully aware that everything would end up the way her father had predicted one way or another.

But at the moment she did not care. All she wanted was to get away from the prison she once called home, and try to be free. It did not matter if that freedom was an illusion…it did not matter if that need of hers was nothing but a silly delusion of hers; she still needed to feel it.

She still needed to get away from those ill-fated chains.

Without bothering to fold her clothes properly, she continued taking what she found essential from her closet and from her bathroom. She barely looked at the things she took; instead, she practically threw everything inside her bag, her eyes scanning her bedroom swiftly yet attentively. She could not forget anything, for she knew she was not going to return for a long time.

At least, that was what she was planning.

As she continued running from side to side, making sure she had everything she needed, her eyes ended up falling on one object that she would eventually throw inside her bag. But when she spotted that same object, she unconsciously stopped moving and stood still, observing what had caught her attention with a blank expression on her face.

A sigh escaping from her lips was what snapped her back to reality, but instead of walking towards her closet, she approached the item she was still staring at. With a pale hand, she reached out for it, and a faint smile gradually blessed her pallid features.

Professor Iruka had been the one to take that picture. In it were all the members that completed the group that was known in their village as 'Rookie 9'. For a moment, her eyes scanned all the familiar faces, and before she knew it, she was sitting down on her bed, her right hand still grasping the frame.

She wondered what they would think about her current actions. She guessed most of them would not even believe that she was indeed going to abandon her house, being that too audacious for her nature. Others would most likely say that she was out of her mind, and not aware of her actions.

But the truth was that she was conscious of what she was doing. She was aware of what everyone would think of her actions, but for the very first time in her life she simply did not care. And surprisingly, that sudden change in her personality was due to her father.

Slowly, she lay down on her bed, now holding the frame against her chest with both her hands, and she stared at her white ceiling. Who would have thought that her father would be the one who would force her to do something so extreme? But then again, it was his fault. No one had asked for him to decide what he had determined; apparently, even one or two members of their clan was against his verdict, but they were too afraid to voice their real opinion.

Instead, the whole clan had eventually given in, and accepted her father's decision. But then again, it was not as if her father needed their permission to do anything; he would require their support yes, but she knew he would still do as he pleased no matter what.

A sudden knock on the door of her bedroom forced her to entitle her head backwards as she informed that whoever was outside was allowed to walk in. She watched the door being unhurriedly opened until a pair of pallid lavender orbs, just like hers, fell on her only to glance at the open bag next to her seconds later.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" the newcomer questioned, but instead of answering, she simply sat up again, her back turned to the entrance of her room. Quietly, she glanced down at the frame that was now on her lap. "You know this won't solve anything."

"But it will give me time to think." she replied in her gentle and low tone of voice still without looking behind her, "And right now I think that's what I need. I…I have to do this, I know it's not the best thing to do, but I…I just _have_ to do this."

A sigh was all that followed her words, and for a second she wondered if he was going to try to stop her. The only reason why she had actually told him about her plan was due to the fact that she needed help to find a place to stay in, and she could not do it alone. Thus, she had asked him if he could look for an apartment for her to stay in until that situation was cleared out.

"I'm not going to stop you," he announced, and it was then that she realized she had been holding her breath in anticipation. "I do not agree with this, but you are old enough to know what you're doing. I have also looked for a place for you to stay in. I have asked around, and I found you an apartment, on the opposite side of the village."

Involuntarily, she licked her lips at those words, her eyes still resting on the picture. Then, she straightened her back up, and started moving her torso to the side so that she could finally gaze at the person who was still standing by the doorway.

That was the first time she was actually seeing his growth, and she was quite happy for it. Every time she recalled the past, she would evoke his words, and the way he would look at her as if she was not worth of nothing. But now there he was, standing a few feet away from her, helping her even though he did not agree with her actions.

She knew that he would only tell her father about what had happened if he was ordered to do so, and for that she was extremely grateful. All she hoped was that her selfish wishes did not harm anyone in the future.

"You should leave in one hour." he declared suddenly, and she raised her eyes to look at him, a mix of surprise and confusion written all over her face, and he crossed his arms against his chest. "If anyone asks, you can use a mission as an excuse to abandon the manor. However, if someone discovers that your teammates are here, when you supposedly are away, and asks me about it, I will not lie."

"I would never ask you to lie for me," she said still in the same hushed tone, their eyes locked, and she smiled gracefully at him. "You're already helping me a lot, I cannot ask for anything more from you."

"Contact me, if you ever need anything." the tone of his voice was enough to indicate her that the subject was now closed, and that it was time for her to hurry up. With a short nod, she rose from the bed, and carefully put the frame she had been holding the whole time inside of her bag. He was right; time was too precious to be spent imprudently with words.

"You are to stay at a house that belongs to an ANBU member." the young man standing by the door explained as she finished gathering her belongings, but she sent him a befuddled look at those words. "He barely spends any time at home, and apparently he was thinking about selling it until my offer caught his attention."

Swiftly, he took a paper and a set of keys from inside his pouch, and walked towards her in order to give her the items. Carefully, she grabbed it, and quickly read what was written in the paper; it contained all information that was connected to the apartment, and to the monthly payment. Needless to say when she noticed that she would be capable of paying for the apartment with her savings, she was relieved.

"Now, hurry up."

At those words, she gazed at the young man who was still standing in front of her, and nodded before folding the paper, and put it inside one of her coat's pockets along with the keys. Then, she walked towards her bag, zipped it up, and glanced one last time at her bedroom.

Even now she had to admit that although that was a hasty decision, it was still the best thing to do. With a sad smile, she took in her surroundings, drinking in every detail at same time she promised herself she would never forget how it felt to live in a top-security prison that was supposed to be called 'home'.

Then, her eyes fell on her helper, and a sense of sadness and appreciation erupted from the bottom of her soul. She was sad because she knew that his torment within that residence was far greater than her own, and yet he still managed to stay there. Perhaps that was the real difference between them; he had the courage…he had the audacity to face the elders, while she was still a weakling in that aspect.

"Neji-nii-san," she started as she unconsciously raised the strap of her bag, and rested it on her right shoulder, and then the corner of her lips curled upwards, "Thank you…for everything. I promise I'll return as soon as possible."

"I just want you to be safe." the young man retorted, his arms crossed against his chest once again. "Make sure you contact me everyday, for you know it's my duty to watch over you all the time."

"Yes, don't worry." she reassured with a nod, and with quiet steps she made her way towards the door of her bedroom.

"Make sure to contact me if someone bothers you," Neji informed as he turned around, following the young woman with his attentive eyes, "Hinata-sama."

"Hai," Hinata answered as she looked at her cousin over her shoulder, and then she nodded. "I'll see you later, Neji-nii-san, and please, watch over Hanabi-sama for me."

At those words, Neji bowed, silently reassuring his cousin that everything would be alright during her absence. With one last smile, Hinata looked away from Neji, and stared ahead as she reflexively increased her grip on the strap of her bag.

That was it…

Silently, Hinata gave on step forward, mentally telling herself to never look over her shoulder.

…There was no turning back.

**To Be Continued…**

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Alright, so this is my newest _Naruto_ story. Aside from this one, I am only going to focus my attention in The World of Yesterday. I really want to finish that story so I hope that those who have been waiting for an upload will give me a few more days to write the next chapter down.

As for Welcome Home, I really hope you guys enjoy it. I am currently writing chapter 17, and the plot has suffered several (some even unexpected) twists. I can only hope you will all enjoy the surprised that have been planned.

Thank you for your attention!

~ Maresia Eterna ~


	2. United by What’s Absent

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. _Yue Takasuka_ owns **Good Morning Call**, which was the muse for this story. As for me, I simply decided to twist the world of our favourite ninja by adding some of my characters. Therefore, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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I want to thank everyone who has read the prologue of this story, but especially _**queenboogie16**_, _**Master Kei**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Dimly**_, _**SilentSinger948**_ _and_ _**Katqueen95**_ not only for reviewing but also for letting me know what you thought about the prologue. I truly hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well. However, do not expect an update as quick as this one was. Sorry about that.

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**Chapter 1**

_United by What's Absent_

The night was undeniably beautiful, with a few clouds occasionally covering the Last Quarter as the wind danced with them. A few stars could also be spotted easily in the dark heavens above as they watched over people's dreams at same time they sang a silent lullaby. The wind that would sporadically blow was temperate, which only added more perfection to that silver night.

But surprisingly, not even the calmness of the shadows was enough to put an end to the agony that was following Hyuuga Hinata's form as she walked through the deserted streets of the great village of Konohagakure. No matter what surrounded her, Hinata simply could not help but feel anxious the distance between her and her house increased.

Now that she was finally alone with her thoughts, Hinata could not help but ask herself if she had done the right thing. It was true that at the moment she could not think of anything else that she could possibly do, but still she could not help but worry. What if her father decided to punish Neji? What if her father decided to find her, and take her back to the Hyuuga manor without caring about her feelings?

After all, her father had the power of _Byakugan_ as well. He could find her without sweating if he wanted to.

Hinata stopped her tracks as soon as that thought crossed her mind, her eyes widening in horror. Heavens, due to her wish to leave her home, she had actually forgotten that her father was the Head of the Hyuuga Clan, and that he could use _Byakugan_. Oh dear, perhaps it would be better if she went back, and behaved as if nothing had happened.

Swiftly, Hinata turned around on her heels, and gave on step forward only to stop on her tracks again. Wait, what was she doing? Had she not decided to leave her house because she needed to be free? Had she not decided to run away due to her wish to finally do something that she wanted to do?

Unconsciously, Hinata closed her left hand into a tight fist, since she was still holding the strap of her bag with her right one. That was correct; she had left because she was tired of feeling suffocated in her own home. And besides, how would she be able to look at Neji's face again if she just returned to her home when not even one hour had passed ever since she had walked through the front door?

Slowly, Hinata stuck her left hand in her coat's pocket, and carefully took a folded paper from inside. As she observed the paper with her ashy lavender eyes, she recalled her cousin's words; she could gain more time if she stood out of sight for a few days. Her father was not going to look for her if he thought that she was out on a mission. All she had to do was to make sure she contacted both Kiba and Shino first thing in the morning.

Although she would be unable to tell them the real reason, Hinata would still do her best to make them understand that she needed to stay away from her father's excruciating stare for a few days.

Abruptly, Hinata closed her fingers around the folded paper in a loosened fist. Yes, that was it, even though she knew she had to do everything alone, she was aware that Neji was watching her from afar. Not only that, but Hinata was positive that both Kiba and Shino would also do their best to support her, even without knowing the whole story.

She knew them enough to be sure of that.

Quickly, Hinata turned around again, this time with a mask of determination on her face. She was going to do it. For now she would behave as if she was out on a mission, staying from sight most of the time. After that, she would try to come up with something else to do.

As she nodded to herself, Hinata took a deep breath, and started walking. She had not even noticed how she had raised her head high as willpower gradually consumed her soul and body, her left hand still curled around the folded paper that Neji had given her before she had left. Yes, she _was_ going to do that!

Thankfully it did not take long for Hinata to arrive at the apartment that Neji had found for her. Surprisingly, not only it was on the opposite side of the Hyuuga mansion, but it was also extremely close to the forest. A few more meters to the right and Hinata was positive that the country-house would have been built in the middle of the trees.

Since it was already extremely late, Hinata could not say for sure how many people lived in that country-house, but due to the size of it, she guessed that another family was probably there as well. The building did look like a huge house, created precisely for two separate households. Besides, accordingly to what was written on the paper that Neji had given her; the first story was occupied while the second one had been booked just for her.

Carefully in order not to make a sound, Hinata quickly made her way towards the stairs that lead to the second story. Then, she rapidly took the keys that Neji had given her from her bag, and opened the front door.

It was indeed too late for a tour, so Hinata simply took the paper from inside her jacket's pocket again before trying to read what was written on it with help from the moonlight. On the left side of the apartment were two rooms, so Hinata guessed that she could just walk directly into one without turning the lights on.

Fortunately there had been no unknown objects between the front door and the door that led to the first room, allowing for Hinata to reach it without any accidents. She certainly did not want to wake her neighbours up by stumbling on a vase or a table.

As soon as she reached the bedroom, Hinata quickly chose a random spot, and put her bag down. Weariness had suddenly emerged, and for some reason, the young woman was beginning to feel quite sleepy and too exhausted to even bother to change her clothes or the sheets of the bed, if it had any. Instead, Hinata blindly made her way towards the bed, and practically threw herself onto the mattress before sighing tiredly to herself.

That was the beginning of a new life, without her father, and without anyone that could judge her and her actions.

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The apartment was absolutely gorgeous even though it was extremely simple and clean. On the right side of the apartment, as soon as you walked through the front door, would be the living room and the bathroom. On the wall across from the front door was the kitchen; while on the left side of the apartment were the two bedrooms.

There was furniture in every division, though it was only what was entirely necessary for someone who barely lived there. Hinata knew she would have to arrange a few things, change others, and clean the whole place, but she knew it would be worth it. Besides, after seeing the kitchen, Hinata had been forced to admit to herself that that division was her favourite part of the apartment.

The cabinets were of a rich mahogany shade, and the wood appeared to have a reddish-brown glitter. To create a bigger contrast, the marble used for the counter was black, which offered an even more attractive look to the kitchen. Slowly, Hinata approached the counter, and raised a hand, wondering how it would feel to run her fingers through the spotless counter.

When the tip of her fingers was inches away from the counter, the sound of a door being unlocked echoed through the silent apartment, and Hinata froze. Could it be that her father had already found out that she had left her home to hide in there? No, it was still too soon, and it usually took a while for her father to realize she was not even in the house.

Then, perhaps it was Neji? After all, no one else knew that she was there.

Slowly, and perhaps even a little nervously, Hinata turned around, and started making her way towards the door of the kitchen, a hand resting against her chest. She could hear someone moving around the hallway, and the sound of something heavy being put down reached her ears as she finally stopped by the door-frame.

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei wasn't lying when he said this was a nice place!"

Hinata's eyes widened in shock and horror when her brain suddenly gave a face to that familiar voice, and she automatically raised a hand to her lips. That could not be right; what on earth could he be doing there of all places?

Cautiously in order not to make any sound, Hinata leaned against the door-frame, and moved her head to the left so that she could stare at the hallway. When her eyes fell on a tall, tanned young man with untamed blond hair, Hinata felt her heart skip various beats at same time her breathing gradually became erratic.

Dear heavens, what was _he_ doing there?

"Ah, this is going to be great!" the young man exclaimed as he rested his hands on his hips, his deep cerulean blue eyes observing every inch of the hallway while a wide grin graced his features.

"Na—" Hinata whispered before she slammed a hand against her mouth, but before she could move away from the door, the unexpected newcomer moved his eyes until they fell on her.

And for a moment all the two young adults did was to stare at each other.

Hinata really could not really explain what happened afterwards. She could vaguely recall the newcomer turn to her, and say her name as he looked as surprised and confused as her. She could also remember him asking why she was there, but it was when he gave the first step towards her that Hinata's mind went blank.

And after that, everything went black.

* * *

"_WHAT?!"_

A loud scream forced Hinata to snap away from the darkness, and start to stir. Muffled voices could still be heard from a certain distance, but as Hinata mentally ordered her eyes to open, the words gradually started making more sense.

"What do you mean this was all a mistake?"

"Calm down, I'm sure we'll be able to fix this."

Groggily, Hinata managed to sat up, and notice that she was in the living-room, more exactly sitting on the light beige sofa. For a second, Hinata glanced around, trying to understand what had happened for her to end up on the sofa, but it was then that a familiar voice reached her ears.

"You bet we're going to fix this!"

That voice…

Cautiously, Hinata stood up from the sofa, and noiselessly made her way towards the door of the living-room. Apparently, whoever was inside the apartment was talking in the kitchen, most likely in a clearly failed attempt not to wake her up.

Unfortunately, Hinata was still so confused about what was going on that she failed to be careful. Instead, she walked inside the kitchen without a second thought only to find two familiar faces sitting down on two mahogany stools.

A pair of cerulean blue eyes immediately turned to her, and Hinata felt blood rushing up to her cheeks almost instantaneously. So that had not been a dream…

"Hinata, are you okay?"

"Na-Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered before glancing at the other person, and she bowed slightly in respect, her hands clasped in front of her legs, "Konnichiwa, Kakashi-sensei."

"Hello, Hinata. Naruto told me you took quite a fall; are you feeling better?" the older man inquired as he continued sitting down on his stool, and Hinata went red at the question. "It seems there has been a mistake here, and I have already contacted Yamato in order to understand what went wrong."

"A mistake?" Hinata repeated as she blinked in confusion, and Kakashi nodded before chuckling lightly.

"Ah, don't do that!" Naruto exclaimed abruptly as he pointed a finger at his former teacher, "I don't even know how someone can make a mistake like this! How could Yamato-sensei _not_ notice that he had rented the apartment to two different people?"

"Well, he told me he doesn't understand what went wrong either." Kakashi started to explain, and for a second Hinata wondered about how long she had been sleeping. "He told that the only thing you can do now is to discuss about who should leave the apartment."

"I would leave, if I actually had a house to return to." Naruto promptly retorted before he crossed his arms against his chest, in thought. "But I had to start the repairs, hence why I started looking for another place to stay in for a while. And I certainly don't have any more money to waste."

"Ah, that's not good." Kakashi said, though his tone indicated that he was most likely enjoying what was happening. Then, the older man turned to Hinata, "What about you? I do not even know why you aren't with your family."

"A-ah, that…" Hinata stuttered as she felt warmth conquering her cheeks for the third time, and she immediately started twiddling her fingers as she looked down. "I-I can't go home right now, I-I…"

"No need to explain anything." Kakashi cut the shy girl off, "Besides, Yamato told me you could do whatever you wanted as long as he got the monthly 150,000 yen rent. If you do that, he really won't care about what you do."

The words '150,000 yen rent' echoed through Hinata and Naruto's minds, and for a long moment there was only silence. A silence that went on until…

"WHAT?!" Naruto burst out loud at same time he stood up, causing his stool to fall backwards on the ground, making a thunderous noise, "150,000?! How is that even possible? You told me it was 80,000!"

As Naruto continued ranting about the payment, Hinata raised a hand to her lips as she thought about what Kakashi had just told them. One side of her wanted to do exactly what Naruto was doing; scream and protest about the injustice of the whole situation. After all, how could one person actually pay 150,000 every month? That was impossible.

Besides, even though she did have that amount of money it would not last for more than two or perhaps three months. That was not a situation that was bearable for someone who only received money after returning from certain and realizable missions.

"Why don't you two just live together?" Kakashi inquired out of the blue, interrupting Naruto's rambling, and once again an uncomfortable silence fell inside the apartment. Naruto, who was looking a tad red from the screaming, closed his mouth almost instantly, while Hinata's cheeks gained a deeper shade of pink from the embarrassment.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto practically roared, and Hinata quickly glanced at him before she focused her attention on the wooden floor beneath her feet. "I don't want to share my house!"

"Well, I'll let you two talk about this, and I'll come back later to know what you have decided." Kakashi declared as he gracefully stood up from the stool, ignoring the glare that Naruto was throwing at him. "On the meantime, try not to destroy anything. Ja mata."

"Oi, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called out, but the male Jounin simply walked through the door of the kitchen as he waved, and not even once did he look over his shoulder.

Hinata did not know for how long the two of them just stood on the same spots; Naruto close to the table while she stood close the door. However, when Naruto suddenly picked his stool up, and sat down, Hinata guessed that it was time for her to do the same.

Unhurriedly, and possibly a bit nervously, Hinata approached the table, and uneasily sat down on the closest stool. Her hands, now resting on her lap, started attracting each other until her fingers were twiddling again in nervousness.

"What a pain…" Naruto mumbled suddenly, and Hinata raised her eyes to glance at him only to notice that his eyes were closed, arms crossed against his chest as he continued to meditate about the situation at hand. "Whether I move to a different apartment or stay here, I'm paying more than I had anticipated. Besides, I've already used up all my money."

Silently, Hinata looked down at her twiddling fingers, and mentally sighed. That was definitely not an easy situation; Naruto clearly could not return to his own house, while she refused to go back especially after what she had done.

"What about you, Hinata?" Naruto inquired all of a sudden, and the said girl raised her head only to blush ten shades of pink when her eyes meet a pair of cerulean blue orbs. "What are you doing here, anyway? Shouldn't you be at home?"

"A-ah, I-I…" Hinata struggled to say something, but before another word could escape from her lips, her father's words echoed through her mind. Almost instantly, she dropped her gaze again, feeling even more nervous than before, "I-I can't go home right now, a-and I can't ask for any money either."

For a short period of time, the two young adults just stared at each other before looking into two different directions. Hinata guessed that Naruto would inquire her about what on earth she was doing there soon; the reason why he had not asked it yet was probably because he was trying to come up with the best way to approach the subject.

"Well…there's always _that_ option." Naruto commented, and Hinata widened her eyes in surprise before she gazed at him. When their eyes meet, Hinata felt her heartbeat increase substantially, the palm of her hands growing sweatier by the second. Then, Naruto nodded, "Yes! Let's just move in together."

Wait. Say what?

"W-What?" Hinata stammered as she stared at Naruto, who looked back at her before nodding again, a victorious smile on his face. "Y-You really think t-that's the best option?"

"Well, unless you do have another idea…" Naruto trailed off, and Hinata looked down straight away as she flushed in embarrassment. "But anyway, what do you think about it? If we actually stay together, we'll only have to pay half of the costs."

He truly was not kidding.

"Besides, we're off age." Naruto continued, "We'd have our own rooms, and since we know each other, I think we'll be able to get along quite well. That not to mention that this situation isn't going to drag for long; I'll probably return to my house in a few months, while you…"

Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat at his words.

"Well, anyway, what I mean is that I think we'll manage to pull this off." Naruto proceeded, before beaming at her. "So, what do you say, Hinata?"

**To Be Continued…**

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**Authoress Note: **I forgot to mention that I started writing this story before (_**spoiler**_) Pain attacked Konohagakure (_**end of spoiler**_). Things concerning the most recent manga chapters will be mentioned in the future, so please watch out for any spoilers. Thank you for your attention.


	3. The Secrets We Bury In Our Souls

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. _Yue Takasuka_ owns **Good Morning Call**, which was the muse for this story. Therefore, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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Crap, I say there won't be any quick updates, and yet here I am. This is what? The third update in a week? Tsk, I should be ashamed of myself (sweatdrops). Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the second chapter of Welcome Home. Also, I want to thank _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**The Elven-Spear**_, _**Elongation**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_ _and_ _**SilentSinger948**_ for supporting me and for letting me know what you thought of the story so far. Thank you all!

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**Chapter 2**

_The Secrets We Bury In Our Souls_

"Eh? You did what?"

Hyuuga Hinata was currently sitting down on a stoned, old-looking bench, her lunch resting on her lap. Her usual pale complexion was now a rich shade of pink while her eyes were locked with her knees.

Next to her was a young woman with wild yet curly brown hair, which stopped just above her elbows. Her eyes, a deep shade of hazel, were wide open in surprise as she continued staring at her best friend.

"I must say…I wasn't exactly expecting you to say such thing." the brunette confessed, but those words only caused Hinata to blush even harder. "I mean…I don't know what I'd do if my father told me the same thing, but…well, your life certainly gave an unanticipated turn."

"Oh, but please, you mustn't tell anyone." Hinata declared as she turned to her friend, "Y-You're the first one to know about this. I wanted to tell Shino-kun and Kiba-kun, but I…I don't think I'll be able to go look for them now, and I…"

"Calm down, Hina-chan, everything's alright." the girl interrupted, as she raised a hand, "Of course I'm not going to tell anyone. I'll just do what you asked me to; I'll inform Kiba-kun and Shino-kun about what happened to you, but I won't get into any details."

"I'm sorry for asking you to do this, Hana-chan." Hinata apologized, but her friend simply shook her head, a light smile on her face. "It's just that I can't tell Naruto-kun either, and I…well, I…"

"I already told you, don't worry about it." the girl interrupted Hinata's rambling, "What I'd like to know is…what are you going to do now? I mean, your father will end up finding out that you never left Konohagakure, and after that…"

"I really haven't thought much about that." Hinata confessed in a low and somewhat embarrassed tone, and Hana entitled her head slightly to the side. "When I heard my father tell me about what was going to happen, all I could think about was that I needed to leave my house."

"Are you thinking about telling someone else about this?" Hana inquired, "Apart from your team of course. Don't you think you should ask Naruto-kun not to talk about that to anyone, as well? I mean, Sakura-san may in time ask for him to show her his new home."

"Actually, I haven't told Naruto-kun about why I'm sharing the apartment with him." Hinata declared, and Hana blinked, "He…he hasn't really asked me about it, so I think he doesn't really care. Perhaps…I don't know, perhaps he's happy someone else is able to help him pay the monthly rent…"

"Don't be silly, I'm sure he's happy for having a flat mate." Hana corrected before smiling slightly, and nuzzle Hinata on the arm with an elbow. "I'm sure you're happy for having him as your flat mate, ne?"

Hinata blushed ten shades of red at that at same time she started twiddling her fingers, her lunch now forgotten.

"Hana-chan, p-please don't say that." Hinata requested as she felt the warmth of her cheeks spreading to her whole face, and Hana giggled at her behaviour. "I-I still can't believe I actually fainted on him."

"That's what happens when you suddenly and unexpectedly realize that aside from gaining a new flat mate, that same flat mate is the guy you like." Hana pointed out, and Hinata stared horrified at her. "Aw, c'mon Hina-chan, I'm just kidding."

"W-What would you do, Hana-chan?" Hinata inquired in her soft voice as she glanced at her friend, whose smile vanished almost immediately. "I-I mean, what would you do if you were the one who had to share an apartment wit—"

"I probably would pack my things and leave." Hana interrupted her, since she knew what Hinata was about to ask, "I guess I'm not like you in that aspect. At least you gathered enough courage to accept the invitation to live with the boy you like for a few months. I don't think I'd have the guts to do it."

"O-Oh…"

"But if you ever need anything, don't forget I'm here." Hana continued before resting a hand on Hinata's shoulder, a smile back to her lips. "And if Naruto-kun gives you a hard time…well, I'm sure you'll know how to handle him."

"What about Naruto?" a voice inquired suddenly, and both Hinata and Hana looked behind their shoulders only to find Inuzuka Kiba standing behind the bench. Next to him was the huge but still cute Akamaru, also watching the two girls with his attentive eyes. "Hinata, I met your cousin a few minutes ago, and he told me you had something important to tell me. What's going on?"

Hinata and Hana shared a look.

* * *

With a yawn, Naruto made his way towards the kitchen, and tiredly raised a hand in order to open the fridge. His stomach had started to growl almost half an hour ago, but he had been too lazy to get up from the sofa, and think about doing something to eat. Instead, he had spent the last thirty minutes trying to doze off in the living-room, until his stomach, tired of being ignored, growled in a very high and annoying tone.

"Man, I wonder if there's something to eat…"

As he scratched the back of his head, still half asleep, Naruto opened the fridge, and froze at what he found. Displayed in every shelf was all type of healthy food, from fruit to fresh rice omelette. Had Hinata been the one to prepare all that?

After glancing behind him, behaving as if he did not want anyone to see what he was about to do, Naruto grabbed the plate where two rice omelettes were. After taking a pair of chopsticks from a drawer, Naruto settled down at the table, and clasped his hands together while still holding the wooden sticks.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, a grin on his face, and he quickly took a piece of the rice omelette, and eagerly ate it. For a moment, he just chewed the food until Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, _"_Oishii!"

Enthusiastically, Naruto started wolfing down his food, not even bothering to clean his face as he continued to eat at full speed. He did not even bother to swallow his food properly before he decided to take a sip of water.

"Man, I never thought Hinata was this good at cooking!" Naruto exclaimed, behaving as if there was someone else standing next to him. "I kind of remember when she gave me a rice ball. It was very good, but this…yum!"

It did not take more than a couple of minutes for Naruto to finish eating the two rice omelette, and it was with a large grin that he put his plate in the sink. Then, he returned to the living-room, but before he could sat down on the sofa again, someone knocked at the door.

With a sigh, Naruto turned around on his heels, and went to the front door before opening it. When he saw who it was, his happiness increased even more.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted, not bothering to lower the tone of his voice, a wide smile on his face. "How did you know I was living here?"

"I saw Kakashi-sensei at the market, and he told me that you had left your house because it's being repaired." the pink haired girl explained as she continued standing outside, her hands clasped behind her back. "So, I decided to come, and see if you're okay."

"Oh yeah, I'm more than okay!" Naruto exclaimed before resting a hand on his stomach, "I just finished eating. Oh, but come in. Want me to show you around?"

"Sure, why not?" Sakura asked back as she walked inside after Naruto had stepped backwards, and she looked around as her friend closed the front door. "I see Yamato-sensei left all the furniture behind. Well, that saves you some trouble, ne?"

"Well, he actually left everything behind, so I really didn't have to bring anything from my house." Naruto clarified as he showed Sakura the living-room before leading her to the kitchen, "Besides, it seems that Hinata likes to take care of the house chores, so…"

"Hinata?" Sakura repeated as she stopped her tracks, and turned to Naruto, who looked back at her, not understanding her look of confusion, "As in Hyuuga Hinata? What does Hinata-san have to do with you living here?"

"Tadaima." a soft voice came from the hall, and Naruto turned around, and walked towards the door of the kitchen, a smile back to his lips.

"Hinata, okaerinasai!" he greeted as he waved a hand in the air, behaving as if they had not seen each other for quite some time. "You know, I just ate the rice omelette you prepared, and let me tell you it was delicious! You're really going to be an awesome wife one day!"

"Eh?" was all Sakura managed to let out in puzzlement before she walked towards Naruto, and looked over his shoulder in order to stare at the person who was still standing in the middle of the hallway. Despite of the conversation she had just heard, Sakura could not help but widen her eyes in surprise when she saw a red faced Hinata standing close to the front door.

"What is Hinata-san doing here?"

"S-Sakura-san?" Hinata asked back, her face still completely red, but she widened her eyes in shock as well. Naruto, on the other hand, simply looked from one girl to the other before scratching the side of his head.

"Why do I have the feeling I'm missing something?"

Sakura promptly smacked him on top of his head at the question, causing Naruto to let out a yelp in surprise.

"I'm not going to ask you again; what is Hinata-san doing in your house, Naruto?" Sakura inquired, her eyes now locked with her friend's teary orbs, and Hinata bit her lower lip before she dropped her head in embarrassment. "What's going on around here? Did Hinata-san come to visit your apartment as well?"

"Ano…" Hinata started in a very timid tone, still without raising her eyes from the floor, and Sakura turned to her. Even from the distance, the pink haired girl could see the dark shade of red that was conquering Hinata's usual pallid cheeks. "I-I'm not just…visiting…"

"Ah yea, we're living together!" Naruto explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she turned her head to her side, and stared completely stunned at her friend. "Isn't that right, Hinata?"

Both girls just stared horrified at him.

"Well, I just remembered that I have to go meet with Tsunade-baachan." Naruto continued, still behaving as if nothing abnormal was going on. "Hinata, I'll probably be back before dinner. You don't need to wait for me though. Ah, and I'm sorry for eating the omelettes without your permission. Ja mata."

With those words, Naruto walked past Hinata, and stepped out of the apartment, closing the door behind him as he went, and leaving two flabbergasted girls standing in the hallway. Slowly, Sakura looked away from the door to gaze at Hinata, who looked back at her seconds later.

"So…you two…" Sakura started, pausing as she thought about what she should say next, and Hinata managed to continue looking back at her, "Are living…together? May I ask when did that happen? I mean…I don't want to be rude, but…what about the Hyuuga mansion?"

"A-Ah…I-I…we…" Hinata struggled to come up with something to say, but when she noticed that Sakura had raised an eyebrow in expectation, she mentally sighed. "W-Why don't we go to the living-room? I-I'll explain everything to you the best I can."

Sakura simply shrugged in reply.

After spending a long time explaining to Sakura what was going on…well, most of it for Hinata had decided not to mention the real reason why she had left her house, the Hyuuga heiress finally stopped talking, and allowed for Sakura to take everything in.

"So…you guys are sharing this apartment because it will be easier if you split the monthly payment…" Sakura trailed off as she rested her chin on her hand, in deep thought, and Hinata involuntarily nodded. "And your father isn't against you living with him?"

"Actually he…he doesn't know." Hinata started slowly, and when Sakura sent her a suspicious look, she blushed in awkwardness. "I-I mean…Sakura-san, you know that my father isn't fond of Naruto-kun, and he would never allow me to stay here, but…"

"Ah, I understand; you decided to accept Naruto's offer because you know he won't be able to pay the monthly 150,000 yen rent alone." Sakura interrupted as she crossed her arms against her chest, and Hinata blinked. "You know, you really don't have to do that. I'm sure Naruto would find a way to pay that amount of money alone."

"A-Ah, no, I-I really don't mind…" Hinata managed to say, still feeling a bit embarrassed about the topic, but she blinked again when Sakura smiled widely at her. "I really need a place to stay, a-and since Naruto-kun said he didn't mind sharing the apartment, I…well, I couldn't decline."

"You're a nice girl, Hinata-san." Sakura stated out of the blue, and Hinata found herself going red, "And please, take care of Naruto for me. That guy has a knack to get himself in trouble, and he may be quite tiring sometimes."

Suddenly, Sakura stood up from the sofa, the smile still on her face, and Hinata quickly mimicked her actions.

"If Naruto ever gives you too much trouble, tell me, and I'll put some sense on his head again." Sakura finished as she raised her hands, and cracked her knuckles as if to give more emphasis to her words, and Hinata nervously nodded. "Well, I have to go now."

"Sakura-san!" Hinata called-out as she raised her right hand forward while she kept her left one pressed against her chest, "I…c-can you please keep this a secret? I-If my father finds out that I'm currently living with Naruto-kun, he…"

"Ah, of course, don't worry about it." Sakura interrupted her, "I promise I won't tell anyone that you two are living together. I really don't want to cause trouble to any of you, especially since most people don't like to see a boy and a girl living together unless they are married."

Hinata blushed faintly at that.

"Besides, for some reason, I can say that Naruto will most likely change some of his habits now that he's living with you." Sakura continued, and Hinata feel her cheeks grow even warmer than before. "So, please, take care of him."

"Sakura-san," Hinata whispered as she led the medical-nin to the front door, and then she clasped her hands in front of her legs before bowing in respect, "Arigato gozaimasu."

"Please, don't do that." Sakura said as she waved a hand in front of her face, and Hinata gracefully straightened up in order to gaze at her. "If anyone should be thanking it should be me. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you." Hinata thanked again, but Sakura simply smiled at her before walking out of the apartment. After waving in goodbye, Hinata closed the front door before pressing her back against it, both her hands resting against her chest.

They had only started living together on the previous day, and five people already knew about it. All Hinata hoped was that Naruto would not tell anyone else about it, or they were bond to be discovered by the elders sooner or later.

* * *

A pair of golden eyes looked up from a piece of paper in order to stare directly at a pair of cerulean blue orbs. They had been in silence for the past five minutes, but it was obvious that the young man standing on the other side of the desk was getting impatient; the way he was swinging his weight from one foot to the other revealed that much.

"Naruto," a strong female voice shattered the peace as a pair of hands put the paper down, and the young man standing in the middle of the office straightened up almost instantaneously, "I have something very important to tell you."

"I'm finally allowed to go out on a mission?" Naruto inquired as he grinned widely, but when the Godaime continued staring at him with a solemn expression on her face, his smile vanished, "Ne, Tsunade-baachan, what's going on?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," the older woman started, and Naruto immediately froze, "He's going to be escorted back to the village. I expect him to be back within a week. I thought you deserved to know that."

"Sasuke is…" Naruto trailed off, and he unconsciously closed both his hands into tight fists, a frown now on his face. "What about Sakura-chan? Have you told Sakura-chan that Sasuke's coming back?"

"No, I think you should be the one telling her about it." Tsunade answered as she leaned against the back of the chair, her right hand still resting on the desk while her left one was resting against her stomach. "I must tell you, however, that it won't be easy for any of you when Sasuke returns. I'm sure you're aware of what most people in the village think about what happened between the two of you."

"I brought him back, nothing else matters." Naruto replied in a strong tone, and Tsunade stared at him in the eye. "I don't care if everyone blames me for Sasuke's departure all those years ago. I couldn't care less if people think it's my fault that he was sent to a top-security prison when we last fought. All I care about is that he's going to come back, and that…" there was a pause, and Naruto looked down, "And that I'll finally be able to see a real smile in Sakura-chan's face."

Tsunade just stared at the young man in front of her thoughtfully after those words. It was remarkable how much he had grown in those last few years. He still knew when to be a loudmouth and behave all excitedly, but it was amazing the nonchalant way he acted towards things that had to do with himself.

"Can you let me know when you find out the date for his arrival?" Naruto inquired abruptly, and Tsunade snapped from her thoughts as she raised her eyes to look at his radiating orbs. "I'd like to be around when he returns."

"Don't worry, I'll ask Shizune to tell you something as soon as we get that information." Tsunade answered, "However, I must ask for you not to tell Sakura about the possible date of Sasuke's return. You may tell her that Sasuke is coming back to Konohagakure, but you cannot tell her when."

"Okay, no problem." Naruto answered with a short nod, but when she noticed he was getting ready to leave, Tsunade continued.

"Have you already found an apartment?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that I have," Naruto answered, a smile back to his lips, and Tsunade entwined her fingers in front of her chin, her elbows now resting on the desk. "I actually decided to accept Yamato-sensei's offer, and I'm currently occupying his apartment."

"Hmm and when were you thinking about letting me know about this?" Tsunade questioned, and Naruto blinked in confusion. "You know very well that I must know where my affiliates are all the time. I cannot have shinobi wandering around through the village, looking for you, in a moment of crisis."

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that," Naruto apologized as he scratched the back of his head, "With the moving and the repairs, I forgot to do a few things. I promise when I go back to my house, you'll be the first to know."

"I better..." Tsunade trailed off, leaving the hint of a threat lingering in the air, but all Naruto did was chuckle at her tone. "Now, off you go. I have to start taking care of all this paperwork before Shizune comes to annoy the crap out of me."

"Sure. See you later, Tsunade-baachan!" Naruto waved in goodbye before walking out of the office.

_Uchi__ha Sasuke. He's going to be escorted back to the village._

Naruto walked out of the building, and stared at the clear sky as he recalled those words. Slowly, he raised a hand, and shielded his eyes so that he could stare at the heavens without going blind.

So Sasuke was finally going to return…

…For some reason Naruto could not help but feel as if the next chapter of their lives was going to be like a bumpy ride…

**To Be Continued…**


	4. The Story Written With Actions

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. _Yue Takasuka_ owns **Good Morning Call**, which was the muse for this story. As for me, I simply decided to twist the world of our favourite ninja by adding some of my characters.

* * *

I am really excited to see that people are enjoying the story so far. Some seem to be aware of a few things, but still, I hope I'll be able to surprise you every now and then (hehe). I want to thank everyone for sticking out to read Welcome Home, but I must leave here a special thanks to all those who reviewed (I hope everything received my replies!).

So, I must thank _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**anotamous**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Elongation**_, _**narutos vixen**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**bluepika**_, _**The Elven-Spear**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**kally-kal**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**jeroen otten**_ and _**Dimly**_ for all of your constant support. Thank you for waiting; thank you for saying you're enjoying the story, and I promise I'll do my best not to disappoint you.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_The Story Written With Actions_

Even though things had been slightly embarrassing at the beginning, two days after Hinata and Naruto had began living together, things were finally though slowly returning to normal. At the beginning, Hinata would struggle not to faint whenever she found Naruto in the apartment, but her habit of twiddling her fingers and of blushing whenever the blonde was present still had to disappear.

Naruto, on the other hand, could not be happier. Hinata not only was a great cook, but she also loved to make sure the house was clean. He still found it weird how she would always stutter whenever he asked her something, but aside from that, he was quite content for having a flatmate.

Unfortunately, on their first night, the two young adults had established that they were not, in any circumstance, to take people to the apartment. The risk of being discovered was too high, and the fact that some people were already aware of what was going was already enough to worry them. Naruto had thought that Hinata was just overreacting, but after a good night of sleep he had decided to accept that her apprehension was plausible.

Besides, he could not risk Hyuuga Hiashi finding out that he was currently living with his oldest daughter.

"Good morning!"

"A-ah, ohayo gozaimasu, N-Naruto-kun." Hinata greeted as she looked up from the food she was preparing, a faint pink shade on her ashen cheeks. "I-I'm just finishing breakfast; w-why don't you sit down?"

"Oh great! It's ramen time!" Naruto exclaimed as he trotted towards the closest stool, but when he sat down, he sniffled the air. "Wait, it doesn't smell like ramen. Hinata, what did you make for breakfast?"

"I-I prepared rice omelettes, b-but I can prepare ramen if you want, Naruto-kun." Hinata explained as she turned her torso around in order to gaze at the young man, who scratched his chin in thought. "It wouldn't be a bother."

"Nah, I really love your omelettes!" Naruto said rather enthusiastically, a grin on his face, and Hinata felt warmth spreading throughout her body until it reached her cheeks. "Besides, Sakura-chan keeps telling me I should try to eat other things rather than just ramen so…"

"O-okay, if you're sure…" Hinata mumbled as she grabbed a plate, and turned to Naruto before putting it in front of him, "Would you like to drink something?"

"Nah, just sit down," Naruto replied as he waved a hand, motioning for her to sit on the stool across from his. "You're not my waitress, Hinata, we're flatmates. Ah, speaking of which, what do you say if we share the chores? I can't let you do everything around here."

"I…I don't mind, really." Hinata answered as she turned her back to him in order to reach out for her own plate, which was still on the counter. "I really like taking care of the house s-so don't worry about it, Naruto-kun."

"No, that sounds wrong." Naruto stated as he crossed his arms against his chest, in deep thought, and Hinata quickly sat down on a stool before focusing her eyes on her own omelette. "Well, it's not as if we can find another part-time job or anything, but you know, with all of my training I'm sure I'll be able to do something soon!"

"Your…training?" Hinata repeated as she blinked, and before she knew it, she was staring at Naruto right in the eye. "I thought you were just doing missions…like the rest of us…"

"Oh, yeah, I am, but you know, with everything that happened…" Naruto trailed off, and Hinata automatically nodded in understanding. "Anyway, the point is that if I manage to keep this up, I think my salary will increase a little bit, and it will be easier for me to contribute while we're living together."

"If you want to…" Hinata whispered as she looked down again, her hands resting on her lap, but her fingers appeared to have gained life of their own for they were twiddling again. When she heard Naruto chuckle, Hinata raised her eyes to gaze at him only to blush faintly when she noticed his wide grin.

"C'mon Hinata, we're flatmates, we have to learn how to get along." he pointed out, and Hinata instinctively nodded in agreement. "So, let's make sure we'll have some fun while living together, okay?"

Abruptly, Naruto outstretched his arm, and Hinata glanced down at his hand. Slowly, almost hesitantly and perhaps a tad timidly, Hinata raised her hand, and dared to glance at Naruto's face before taking a deep breath. Then, a faint smiled graced her features as well, and she nodded once more.

"Hai."

* * *

A pair of hazel orbs was scanning the books on a bookshelf, a humming echoing through the empty aisle of the library. Occasionally, pale fingers would reach out for a book, the hum ceasing for a few seconds, until the book was put back on its rightful place seconds later. It was after a long moment just observing the books that a rather thick one, with a dark blue cover, caught the girl's attention, and she raised a hand to reach out for it.

The only problem was that the book was on the top shelf, so all she managed to do was to caress the cover of the book with the tip of her fingers. With a huff, the girl gave one step backwards before glancing around. There was nothing on that aisle that could help her reach out for the book, which meant she had to keep trying to reach out for it.

As a sigh abandoned her lips, the girl moved closer to the bookshelf again, and rose on her toes in a failed attempt to try to take the book from the shelf.

"Mendokusee…"

The girl felt a shiver run up her spine when she felt a hard chest leaning against her back. Hesitantly, she looked over her shoulder only to feel her breath get caught on her throat when she noticed a familiar black vest and green sleeveless waistcoat.

"Is this the one?"

Fuzen Hana forced herself to look away from the young man's chest in order to glance at the book he was now holding with his right hand. For a second, she just stared at the said book, still too gobsmacked to say anything until the young man sighed.

"If this isn't the one, just say so."

"A-ah, no, that's the one." Hana replied instantly as she finally looked away from the book to gaze at the person that had helped her, and she smiled at him. "Thank you, Shikamaru-kun. Sorry for the trouble."

"It looked as if you were the one having trouble." Nara Shikamaru pointed out as he continued holding the thick book, an uninterested expression on this face. Then, he gazed at the front cover of the book. "Hum, you want to learn more about genjutsu?"

"Yes, I decided to study more about it." Hana replied, the smile still on her face, and Shikamaru tore his eyes away from the book to glance at her. Then, he moved his hand closer to her, and Hana quietly grabbed the book before pressing it against her chest. "Thank you."

"Next time, don't be so troublesome, and just ask for help." Shikamaru mumbled as he moved to his side, and started walking, his hands stuffed inside his pants' pockets. Hana blinked at that before following his form with her eyes until she decided to go after him.

"Ne, Shikamaru-kun, do you know where Choji is?" Hana inquired as she walked beside the young man, but when she noticed that he was heading towards the main doors of the library she turned to her left. "I have to go request for this book. You can go ahead."

"Tsk…" was all Shikamaru said in reply, and Hana could not help but blink when she noticed that he was leaning against the wall next to the front door, hands still stuffed in the pockets. That was indeed his way of saying that he was going to wait, no matter how wearisome that could be.

As she struggled not to let a giggle escape from her lips, Hana quickly went to the librarian, and handed her the book. Thankfully, it did not take more than just a couple of minutes until Hana was allowed to leave the library with the book, and the girl hurriedly made her way back to the spot where she had last seen Shikamaru.

"Thank you for waiting." Hana thanked as she stopped in front of Shikamaru, who simply straightened up before turning to the front doors.

As soon as they walked through the doors, Hana could not help but smile at the fresh breeze that started caressing her wild curls. Unconsciously, she raised a hand, and moved locks of hair away from her face as she raised her eyes to gaze at the sky. The library was indeed the perfect place to find some peace, but it was always rather warm inside, and the temperature could be rather incommodious sometimes, especially during summer.

"Choji asked Ino to go eat with him." Shikamaru suddenly said, and Hana turned her head to look at him as she continued to hold her hair away from her face with her right hand. "It took him ages to do that so don't go look for him."

"Choji asked Ino-san to go out on a…date?" Hana inquired as she looked inquisitively at Shikamaru, but the young man just continued looking ahead. At his silence, Hana looked down at the book she was pressing against her chest with her left hand, but a smile graced her pale features moments later. "That's great!"

"W-What?" Shikamaru stammered as he finally turned his head to look at her, a surprised mask on his face, and Hana sent him a confused look, obviously for not understanding his reaction. "You're okay with it?"

"I wasn't supposed to be okay with it?" Hana asked back as she raised an eyebrow slightly, and Shikamaru coughed before looking at the path ahead of them. "I really have no problem with that. I'm actually quite happy; lately all Choji talked about was of how marvellous Ino-san is, and about how much he'd like to ask her to go out with him."

"Yeah, Choji is that kind of guy." Shikamaru stated in a soft tone, and Hana looked at him only to smile when she noticed the look on his face. All of a sudden, Shikamaru stared at her through the corner of his eyes, and asked, "What?"

"Oh nothing, I'm just glad Choji has such a great friend, that's all." Hana answered as she smiled widely at him, and for a second she could swear she had seen Shikamaru's cheeks turn a faint pink.

At those words, the young man immediately looked ahead, and mumbled one word that made Hana laugh softly.

"Mendokusee…"

* * *

A sigh resonated through the silent office before it was quickly followed by the sound of a chair being pushed backwards without being raised from the floor. Two hands resting on a desk forced a tired body to stand up, and a pair of golden eyes quickly focused on one of the windows behind the desk.

The sun was already setting behind the tall trees that surrounded Konohagakure, but people could still be seen wandering around through the streets. Children could be heard as they ran around, laughing and shouting as they played.

But despite of all the noise the ending of that day was proving out to be tranquil and well-deserved.

Slowly, Tsunade rested her forehead against the cold window in front of her as she continued staring outside. Shizune had given her many documents for her to study and sign, and she was sincerely tired. Not even the open bottle of saké that was on her desk was as tempting as it was supposed to be.

Perhaps she was growing too old for that sort of thing.

"_Sakura-chan!" _At the voice, Tsunade moved her eyes to her right, and she watched as a certain blond ninja ran towards a pink haired girl. When the blond finally reached his friend's side, Tsunade felt the corners of her lips twitching upwards, and she closed her eyes. She was indeed growing a tad weary of all that life, but she was more than ready to admit that out-loud.

After all, if her childhood friends were finally resting from all the adventures they had been forced to face, why would she be any different? It was indeed taking her a long time to finally put her pen down, but she guessed that the moment for her to take a break was practically around the corner.

Besides, she really believed that the timing was just perfect. She knew that the one who would eventually occupy her seat was ready to do so. Sure, it had been an exhausting and demanding path to tread, but it had been worthy, and she knew it. She actually felt blissful for still being alive, and for having the opportunity to witness the change that would occur in the world in a very close future.

He had managed to survive all the teasing and all sort of brutality. He had always been capable of solving the puzzles that appeared in his life regardless if it was through luck or for actually thinking about a plan. He was unpredictable in a very bizarre way, and he definitely did not follow the patterns that a shinobi should always keep in mind.

He was what people hated, and he did not care. He was happy…he was _proud_ of being who he was, and he simply refused to change. If people did not like him, it was their lost not his, because deep down he knew in his heart that he was doing what was needed to reach his goal.

Nothing or no one was going to stop him from achieving his dream.

But what had made her be so sure that she had found the right candidate had been his words.

_I brought him back, nothing else matters. I don't care if everyone blames me for Sasuke's departure all those years ago. I couldn't care less if people think it's my fault that he was sent to a top-security prison when we last fought. All I care about is that he's going to come back and that… And that I'll finally be able to see a real smile on Sakura-chan's face._

Those words had been what she had needed to know that he was ready.

"Tsunade-sama." a voice called-out unexpectedly, and she slowly raised her head before looking behind her only to see her assistant standing close to the door while holding a small pig in her arms, "I just wanted to inform you that it's time to rest."

Rest… Oh, how she longed for that…

"Shizune," the Godaime started, and the other woman straightened up almost immediately, though she was still holding the pig against her chest, "I want two ANBU teams to escort Uchiha Sasuke back to the village. I also want Hatake Kakashi to come here tomorrow, first thing in the morning, and tell him that I will not forgive him if he gets late."

"Two ANBU teams, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune repeated as she blinked in confusion, but the Hokage simply turned around so that she was now facing her assistant. When Tsunade simply continued staring at her with a hard look on her face, she saluted, "Hai! I shall inform Kakashi-san straight away."

"Also," Tsunade started right when Shizune was about to bow, and the other woman stared at her as she waited, "Sakura is not to find out about this. I do not want her or Naruto to know the day when Sasuke will arrive."

"Hai!" Shizune exclaimed before bowing in respect, "Please, excuse me."

Without saying anything else, Shizune left the office, taking the pink pig with her, and Tsunade crossed her arms against her chest as soon as the door was closed. Silently, she glanced at the window behind her, and stared at the roads below only to notice that Naruto and Sakura were no longer where she had first spotted them.

It was time for a new story to be written through actions.

* * *

"Itadakimasu!"

At the word, Haruno Sakura raised her eyes from the bowl in front of her to glance at the young man who was pretty much wolfing down his food. To be honest, she had been quite surprise when Naruto had come to her, and asked if she wanted to go eat something with him. At the beginning she had thought that he could, perhaps, be asking her to go out on a date as he usually labelled their meetings, but the solemn expression he had been carrying while asking her to go eat with him had forced her to accept.

So, even though at the moment Naruto was enjoying his meal with a wide grin on his face, Sakura knew he was just buying time. She seriously did not know what could have had happened for him to actually be trying to go around the bush, but she also knew that it was time to stop it.

Slowly, Sakura looked down at her bowl before resting her hands on each side of it, feeling the warmth of her food gradually spreading throughout the palm of her hands.

"Say, Naruto, what do you want to tell me?"

"Huh?" was all the blond haired boy asked back as he stared at her, spaghetti dripping from his lips, but Sakura ignored his manners as she gazed at him as well.

"I can see you're trying to buy some time, but you can stop it now." Sakura explained, her voice coming out rather soft, and she silently observed as Naruto looked down, his food forgotten. "So, what happened? Did Tsunade-sensei tell you something that has been bothering you?"

"Iie, that's not it." Naruto answered, after a short period in silence, and Sakura entitled her head to the side as she waited for him to continue. Gently, Naruto put his chopsticks down, and stared at some random spot in front of him, close to his own bowl. "She actually told me something positive for a change."

"Was it about…" Sakura inhaled sharply as she struggled to come up with the following words, and she looked down again, "Did it…Did it have anything to do with…Sasuke-kun?"

Sakura had never expected for the silence that followed her question to be so excruciating…

"Yeah, it did." Naruto finally answered, and Sakura felt her breath get caught on her throat as nervousness started to consume her limbs. Then, Naruto turned his face to his side in order to stare directly at his friend, a smile on his face. "I asked her not to say anything because I wanted to be the one to tell you about this."

There was a short pause, and Sakura slowly turned her head to him as well, her hands now closed into fists.

"Sakura-chan, Sasuke is finally coming home."

**To Be Continued…**


	5. Our Perpetual Minutes

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. _Yue Takasuka_ owns **Good Morning Call**, which was the muse for this story.

* * *

I really want to thank all those who read and reviewed this story. However, I must leave here a special thanks to all those who told me what they really thought of this story. Their comments and critics helped me to see what I have to change in the future, and about what I should include in the next chapters.

So, thank you everyone; _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**Elongation**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Hektols**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**three-tailed-fox**_, _**naruhina171**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**Dimly**_, _**SilentSinger948**_ and _**Lucky Naruto08**_.

Also, before I forget, I must warn you that the Hana in this story is _not_ Kiba's sister. Some of you asked me about it, and I completely forgot to warn you about that. I must confess that I did not remember Kiba's sister when I chose my character's name (blushes). I am very sorry about this mess!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Our Perpetual Minutes_

The apartment was quiet with the moonlight piercing though the curtains, and bringing a silvery shade to the walls. The dark wooden furniture appeared to be darker as night continued to roll by, and even though one person was currently occupying that place, the apartment looked relatively empty.

That until a pale hand turned the lights of the living-room on.

Noiselessly, Hinata sat down on the sofa, and put the book she had been pressing against her chest on her lap. Even though she knew it was foolish of her, she simply could not help but glance at the clock in front of her every five minutes.

Where was he?

It was true that he had told her that he was going out, and that he would be late, but still it was almost midnight. Hinata had guessed that he had probably gone to meet Sakura somewhere, in order to talk a little bit with her, but still…

Had he not noticed the time?

Could it be that Naruto had finally decided to take profit of the chance that had been granted to him, and had asked Sakura to go out with him? After all, even though it was painful to admit it, Hinata was aware of Naruto's feelings for his female team mate as much as she was aware of how much Sakura loved Uchiha Sasuke.

Before she could stop herself, Hinata rested her hands on each side of her head, and rested her elbows on her legs. She honestly did not know what to think anymore. One side of her was dreading to find out if Naruto had asked Sakura to go out on a date with him, while another side of her kept telling her that Naruto would never do that.

The other side kept telling her that Naruto had probably already noticed the way Sakura looked at Sasuke….

…But there was no way she could be sure about that.

Unhurriedly, Hinata took a deep breath at same time she closed her eyes. Gradually, her father's voice emerged from the back of her mind, and before Hinata knew it, she was recalling the last conversation she had had with Hyuuga Hiashi.

_Do something right for once._

Hinata shut her eyes harder as those words echoed in her mind, and she instinctively closed her hands into tight fists, her knuckles now pressing against her forehead. Almost three days had passed ever since she had left her house, and her father had yet to find out where she really was, but despite of everything Hinata was starting to feel guilty about everything.

And for a second she wondered how Naruto would react if he ever found out the reason why she had abandoned the Hyuuga manor house…

"Tadaima!"

Forgetting all about the book that was resting on her lap, Hinata stood up from the sofa at same time she pressed her right hand against her chest. Immediately, she spun around, and watched as Naruto stepped inside the living room, a wide grin on his face.

"O-Okaerinasai, Naruto-kun," Hinata greeted in her gentle voice as she tried not to show any signs of her anxiety, and Naruto waved in hello as he walked towards the sofa.

"Ne, Hinata, what are you still doing up?" Naruto inquired as he sat down, and the girl blushed faintly at his curious expression. Hastily, Hinata bent down to grab the book she had dropped, mentally hoping that her blush would be gone by the time she looked back at Naruto. "Oh, you were reading?"

"I-I…" Hinata trailed off, and she thought about what she was supposed to say. She could not exactly tell him that she had been waiting for him, right? That would sound just plain weird. "I…yes, I was reading…"

"Ah, sorry if I interrupted you then," Naruto apologized before resting his hands behind his neck as he leaned against the sofa, "It's just that I'm quite happy at the moment. Sakura-chan accepted to go out with me, and it turned out better than I had expected."

Hinata felt her heart sank at those words, but she managed to hide her unhappiness by turning around, and sit down on the other side of the sofa. This way there was a small gap between the two friends, and it would be harder for Naruto to notice her discomfort.

"It has been ages since Sakura-chan and I have eaten together. It was great to finally be able to do it again." Naruto continued, and Hinata looked down as she put the book she had picked up from the floor on her lap again. "I even managed to talk to her about Sasuke-teme."

"Sasuke-kun?" Hinata repeated as she finally raised her eyes to glance at Naruto, but when the boy turned to her, she looked down at same time she went red. "D-Did something happen to…Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah no, on the contrary, he's finally coming back!" Naruto exclaimed, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat at that statement. "Tsunade-baachan said that he's going to arrive this week, though she doesn't know exactly when. Ah, Sakura-chan was so happy when I told her about it! She really misses him!"

At those words, Hinata glanced at him through the corner of her eyes, and noticed how Naruto's smile had diminished a little bit. Apparently, even though all those years had passed, he still had feelings for Sakura as much as Hinata herself still liked him.

"What…what about you?" Hinata decided to ask, rather timorously, and Naruto blinked at her question as he continued watching her. "I-I mean…I take it that you're happy about it as well…neh?"

"Oh yeah, how could I not?" Naruto inquired back, the wide grin back to his face, and Hinata glanced sideways at him before focusing her attention on her hands that were now resting on top of the book. "I mean, after everything we went through…after all the fights and battles, it's good to know that the family is going to be complete again."

Family…

It was astonishing how affectionately Naruto spoke of such subject, although it was quite understandable why he loved to speak of his friends as if he was talking about his relatives. That's what they were to him, and for a split of a second Hinata found herself wondering if it was ever going to be possible for her to make part of that family.

"Well, I think I'm going to bed." Naruto declared all of a sudden, and Hinata snapped from her thoughts to turn her head to face him. When she noticed that Naruto was stretching his arms above his head, revealing a tad of skin since both his jacket and t-shirt had raised a little bit, Hinata could not help but feel blood rushing up to her cheeks at full speed.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Hinata."

"A-ah, oyasumi nasai, Naruto-kun," Hinata said in reply as she watched the boy stand up from the sofa, and walk towards the door before disappearing from sight. When she heard the door of his bedroom close, Hinata released the breath that she had not noticed she had been holding before she looked down at her hands.

Family…

* * *

The scent of something burning gradually entered through the closed door before it reached a sensitive nose. With a groan, Hinata turned to her side and inhaled deeply only to regret that action when the smell consumed her lungs, causing her to cough. Slowly, Hinata opened her eyes, and blinked in perplexity when she noticed the pale sunlight that was already gracing the interior of her bedroom.

What time was it?

Confusedly, Hinata sat up on her bed, and took another deep breath, her mind finally processing that something was indeed burning. Ignoring her dishevelled look, Hinata swung her legs off her bed, and made her way out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes as she went.

"Aw man, I don't think this is how it's supposed to be…" a voice complained as Hinata covered her mouth with a hand in order to hide a yawn, but she stopped her tracks as soon as she noticed what was going on in the kitchen.

"Na-Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out as she walked through the door, and the young man, who had had his back turned to her the entire time, suddenly twirled around. On his right hand, was a plate filled with what Hinata believed to be burnt rice. "W-What happened?"

"Oh, ohayo gozaimasu, Hinata!" Naruto greeted with a wide smile, and Hinata blinked at his high spirits. "Ano…I was actually trying to prepare breakfast, but I never thought it was this hard! I was beginning to think I should just prepare some ramen or something."

Truth to be told, Hinata did not even want to know how Naruto had actually managed to burn what was supposed to be steamed rice.

"Ano, I can take care of it, Naruto-kun." Hinata started as she slowly walked to the boy's side, and Naruto dropped his head in visible embarrassment. When she noticed the look on his face, Hinata raised a hand. "O-Or you can help me. W-What do you say?"

"I think it's not safe for me to be in the kitchen all by myself." Naruto commented before he raised his head, and Hinata felt her cheeks growing warmer at his grin. "But I'd love to watch you cook! You're a great chef!"

It was pointless to say that Hinata became redder than a tomato at that statement.

Not knowing what to say, Hinata turned to the counter, and noticed that Naruto had also tried to prepare miso soup, and a salad. Out of those two things, only the salad appeared to be eatable, but Hinata knew that she would have to start preparing everything from scratch.

Or she would have, if something hard pressing against her left shoulder and back had not forced her to look over her shoulder only to feel her heart skip various heartbeats.

"C'mon Hinata, I wanna learn how to cook!"

Dear heavens, how could he not notice the effect he had on her?

"So, what are you going to prepare first?"

It was with an inaudible groan that Hinata noticed the way his warm breath was tickling the left side of her face as well as her neck. He would occasionally shift, causing his torso to lean even more against her, and for a moment Hinata's mind went blank.

She could not faint.

"Hinata?"

Suddenly, a warm and tanned hand was pressed against the Hyuuga heiress' forehead, and all air disappeared from Hinata's lungs at same time her heart started beating at full speed against her rib cage.

Do not faint. Do not faint. Do _not_ faint…

"You're kind of red. Are you sick?"

"A-Ah, no! I-I'm fine!" Hinata exclaimed as she tried to give one step backwards, but she regretted that action when she felt her back lean against Naruto's chest. Oh dear heavens, what was going on with all that bad luck?!

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Hinata let go of the breath she had not noticed she had been holding when Naruto gently dropped his arm. However, before she could even think about what she should do, she felt two strong hands resting on her shoulders.

"Hinata, sit down. I'll go see who it is." Naruto instructed as he tenderly forced Hinata to sit down on a stool before he straightened up, "And don't move. I'll bring you some medicine in a second."

Hinata only had time to nod slightly before Naruto left the kitchen. When she was all by herself, Hinata unconsciously pressed a hand against her chest, and closed her eyes. It did not come out as a surprise when she felt her heart beating extremely fast, but now that she was sitting down Hinata could not help but notice how hard her legs were shaking.

She never thought that Naruto could have such a powerful effect on her.

_"Oh, it's you. Hinata's in the kitchen."_

Hinata slowly turned her head to her side at those words, but her eyes widened in surprise when her pale orbs found a pair of eyes exactly like hers. Speaking of bad luck…

"Hinata-sama, I'd like to know what's going on." Neji stated as he walked through the door of the kitchen. His face was expressionless, but Hinata knew that was all a façade. She knew that if she did not explain things properly, Neji would most likely end up beating Naruto up for think about…

Hinata blushed faintly at that, and forced her still trembling legs to move so that she could stand up.

"What is Naruto doing here?"

"N-Neji-nii-san..." Hinata whispered as she turned her body to her side, so that she was now facing the newcomer. "I-I…Naruto-kun…he…we…"

"Found the medicine!" Naruto declared as he appeared from behind Neji, and made his way towards Hinata. "Oh, but you're not looking so red, anymore. Are you feeling better? Want to go lay down for a bit?"

"What is _he_ doing here?" Neji repeated again, his tone growing deeper, and Hinata glanced at Naruto before looking at her cousin again, hands now clasped in front of her legs. Before she could think of something to say, however, Naruto spoke first, in a very cheerful tenor.

"We are living together!"

* * *

Tsunade rested her head on her hands, and started rubbing her temples as she let out a frustrated sigh. The day had barely started, and she was already dealing with a major headache, and by looks of things, it looked as if she was going to reach the end of the day feeling extremely unwell.

Ah, where was a bottle of saké when she needed one?

"Tsunade-sama," a voice called-out, and the Godaime raised her head from her hands in order to stare at her assistant, an annoyed expression on her face, "is everything alright? I just saw Hiashi-sama, and he looked rather furious."

"He came here to accuse me of hiding his daughter." Tsunade answered as she leaned against the back of her chair, and Shizune entitled her head slightly to the side in confusion. "Not only that, but he practically demanded for me to tell him where Hinata's hiding. As if I'd know…"

"Hinata isn't at her house?" Shizune inquired confusedly, and Tsunade shrugged lightly in reply. "I don't think her team has been sent on a mission recently, so it wouldn't make sense for her to disappear without warning us."

"Actually, accordingly to what Hiashi told me, he was informed that his daughter had left for a mission." Tsunade explained, and Shizune blinked, "But it seems that someone told him yesterday that they had seen Shino and Kiba wandering around through the village."

"I'm sorry for saying this, Tsunade-sama, but I never pictured Hinata as being bold enough to run away from home." Shizune confessed as she walked closer to the desk, "I mean…this is the Hyuuga Clan we're talking about."

A silent pause followed those words, and for a second Tsunade allowed herself to close her eyes, and organize her thoughts. Then, when she heard Shizune shift her weight from one leg to the other, she decided to speak up again.

"Actually, there is one reason that could explain Hinata's sudden disappearance." the Hokage started, and Shizune stared at her, waiting to hear more, "One that was originated many years ago, and that I never expected to see coming true. However, after what has just happened with Hiashi, I must say that things will most likely get complicated in a close future…"

"Why is that, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune inquired, and the older woman waited a few seconds before taking a deep breath, and stare at her assistant right in the eye.

"Because of a marriage of convenience."

**To Be Continued…**


	6. The Family Portrait

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I really want to thank _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Hektols**_, _**kally-kal**_, _**Shinako Hyuga**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**bluepika**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**SGCred**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_ and _**Dimly**_ for being such awesome reviewers. You are all really fantastic, and I must thank you for all of your constant support.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_The Family Portrait_

A loud yelp broke the once quiet morning, and Hana looked up from the book she had been studying to see what had caused the sudden commotion. Not surprisingly, Choji had been the one who had cried out, apparently because Ino had taken his chips away from his hands.

"No Ino, please, don't do that!"

"You wish! If I don't throw this away, you'll eat it, and I warned you that you were going to start losing weight!"

"No, wait, I'll…noooo!"

Needless to say that Ino did end up throwing the bag into the trashcan before turning around, and smile a tad too sweetly at Choji at same time she winked at him.

"See? Now, eat one of the apples I brought. That's healthy food, and you certainly are going to start seeing it around in the future."

When she noticed the tears that were threatening to roll down her cousin's cheeks, Hana let out an inaudible sigh, and focused her attention on her book again. It looked as if Ino had decided to turn Choji's need to lose some weight into a high-ranked mission, and apparently she was going to take it as serious as she could.

As she continued listening to Choji and Ino's quarrel, Hana turned the page, and she would have continued reading if someone appearing next to her had not caught her attention. Unhurriedly, Hana raised her head only to notice a strong shade of green until her eyes meet a pair of black ones.

"Lee-san!"

"Oyaho gozaimasu, Hana-san." the tall young man greeted as the wind played with his black hair. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine, but what about you?" Hana inquired as she continued sitting down on the grass, a smile on her lips. "I thought you were still out on a mission."

"Nah, I returned last night." Lee replied, a smile also on his lips, "But listen; is it possible for us to speak in private? I…well, I kind of have something to ask you, and…it's a little embarrassing to ask it here."

"Sure." Hana answered almost immediately before she closed her book, and she quickly stood up from the ground. Then, deciding that Ino and Choji were enjoying their little fight a tad too much, Hana simply waved a hand in Lee's direction, silently telling him to lead the way.

When they were a few yet long meters away from Choji and Ino, Lee finally stopped walking, and Hana did the same after reaching his side. Then, while the young man looked down, most likely trying to figure out what to say, Hana pressed her book against her chest with both her arms as she patiently waited for something to be said.

"Ano…I was wondering if you…" Lee started hesitantly, and Hana entitled her head slightly to the side as she waited for him to continue. Was it just her imagination or his cheeks had just turned pink? "Hana-san, I…"

"This is about Sakura-san, isn't it?" the brunette swiftly interrupted, and Lee turned his head to her, his eyes widened in shock. The flabbergasted expression on his face was enough to cause Hana to start laughing. "Sorry, it's just…it's too obvious."

"Am I really that predictable?" Lee inquired, his stunned expression slowly fading away as an anxious smile graced his tanned features, and Hana waved a hand in front of her face. "Man, I really never thought of that."

"Gomen ne, Lee-san, but I guess we have been talking about Sakura-san for so long that it has become rather easy for me to know when you're going to talk about her or not." Hana explained, as she continued to lean her book against her chest. "I mean, you never get so nervous unless you want to talk about her."

"Nice way to say I really need to start talking about other things." Lee stated, and Hana widened her eyes at those words, but the young man quickly continued, "But still…do you really mind listening to me one more time?"

"Of course not," Hana immediately replied, and Lee smiled thankfully at her. "So, what is it? Are you finally going to ask her on a date?"

Unpredictably, and for some abnormal reason, Lee lost his balance, and fell on the ground, face forward.

"Ah, Lee-san, are you alright?" Hana asked as she bent down on her knees, and put her book aside before resting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Are you feeling alright? Do you need anything?"

"A-Ah, I'm really too predictable…" Lee groaned, his forehead still leaning against the ground, and Hana blinked at his confession before letting out a sad sigh. Gently, she rested her hands on Lee's shoulders, and helped him to straighten up.

"Lee-san…" she started, trying to figure out what to say, but when Lee glanced at her, she smiled faintly at him. "If this is about you asking Sakura-san out, then…well, I think you should go for it. I-I mean…you two can go out even if it's just as friends."

"Hana-san…"

"Besides, it's not as if you've got something to lose." Hana continued before tapping Lee lightly on the shoulder before she stood up, grabbing her book as she did. "So, you go for it, Lee-san, and you better enjoy the meal."

"Yosh!" Lee practically shouted, and Hana gave on step backwards when he suddenly jumped off the ground, a fist high in the air. "The flame of youth will certainly shine more dazzlingly if I do this!!! Thank you, Hana-san!"

"Ah, y-you're welcome…" Hana stammered when Lee unexpectedly grabbed her right hand, cupping it with his two hands, a wide smile now on his face. "G-Good luck…"

"Yep! You can count on me!" Lee exclaimed before winking at Hana, and before someone could stop him, he started running at full speed towards the library. As a small smile graced her features, Hana tuck a lock of hair behind her ear as she turned around to gaze at the direction Lee went.

Instead of seeing a vacant path, however, Hana found herself staring at the face of Nara Shikamaru.

* * *

Hinata had always preferred to believe that there was no such thing as bad luck, but as that morning continued to roll by, she was finding herself believing in that. What else could explain everything that had been going on ever since she had decided to leave her bed? Moreover, what on earth was she going to do to stop her cousin from thinking wrong things about her?

That not to mention that she seriously needed to come up with something to stop Naruto from saying something else that Neji could misinterpret…

"What did you just say?" Neji inquired abruptly, his eyes locked with Naruto's smiling face, and Hinata's heart skipped a beat when she noticed the emotionless mask on her cousin's face. He was getting infuriated, and that was not good. "Living together? You're not even supposed to be here."

"Yeah, I was as surprised as you when I saw that Hinata was living here as well." Naruto agreed, and a short silence followed his words. Neji suddenly gazed at Hinata, and the girl shivered under his blank stare; he was observing her…he was studying her…and she knew he was aware of how much she hated when he did that.

"Why was I not informed about this?"

"I-I…I wanted too, b-but…"

"Ah Neji, don't be so rough on your cousin, Hinata didn't do anything bad." Naruto stepped in, and the girl looked nervously at him before she lowered her gaze since she knew that Neji was still examining her. "We decided that it wouldn't hurt to live together, especially when Kakashi-sensei told us that we have to pay a 150,000 yen rent every month."

"Hinata-sama," Neji started, and the said girl slowly raised her head to look at him, but not before she took a long deep breath, "we must talk about this immediately. However, before we do that, I must ask you to go dress something more appropriated."

For a second, Hinata could not help but be puzzled about those words. Dress in a more suitable manner? Was she not dressed properly?

Confusedly, Hinata looked down, and for the first time that morning she widened her eyes in horror when she found herself staring at the pants of her pyjamas. As a reaction, she raised her hands to her hair, and terror swept over her when she finally realized that she had left her bedroom dressed in her sleeping clothes and that she had not even combed her hair.

Uneasily, Hinata moved her eyes so that she could look at Naruto, and she felt warmth spread through her torso towards her cheeks when she noticed that he was staring back at her. Oh lord! What on earth had she been thinking when she had left her bedroom looking like that? How could she be surrounded by such bad luck?

"Hinata?" Naruto called out when he noticed the deep shade of pink that had appeared on the girl's cheeks, and that was gradually conquering the rest of her face. Slowly, he walked to her, and rested a hand against her forehead. "Are you feeling alright?"

It was needless to say that as soon as that question reached her ears, Hinata did the only thing she could do. She felt all energy vanish from her body, and without bothering to do something about it, she dropped her head down, and lost all sense of reality.

* * *

"Thank you Sakura, you've done a fantastic job." Tsunade thanked as she put the report she had just received down, on her desk. "However, this time I want you and Ino to work together. I know you have a slight problem when it comes to be close to each other, but I must see how you work together."

"Ino, Tsunade-sensei?" Sakura repeated, and when the Hokage nodded, she let out an inaudible sigh. "Well, if I must be honest, I'd prefer to continue working by myself, but I'm sure you have a reason to why you want us to work together. I promise I'll try not to…get irritated whenever we speak to each other."

"Think of this as a new training." Tsunade stated, as she entwined her fingers in front of her chin, her elbows resting on her desk. "I'll let you inform Ino about this new arrangement. Make sure you won't fight while you're observing your patients. Tomorrow morning, I want you two to be here so that I may speak to both of you."

"Understood," Sakura replied as she bowed in respect, but when she straightened up, she closed her right hand into a fist. "Tsunade-sensei, if I'm allowed to ask…have you heard anything about Sasuke-kun? Do you know when he's due to arrive?"

"Sakura, you know very well that I am not going to answer that." Tsunade retorted in her calm and strong tone, and Sakura glanced to her right for a second before she focused her attention on the Godaime again. "I understand you may be anxious about all this, but I'm still not going to tell you. You have to wait."

"But why, Tsunade-sensei? Why won't you tell me when Sasuke-kun's arriving?" Sakura asked as she gestured a little bit, but Tsunade's expression did not change. "Would it be that bad for me to know the date?"

"I won't tell you because I want you to be focused on your work." Tsunade promptly explained, "If I tell you the date, you will spend the whole time counting the hours and minutes left until you meet Sasuke again. I cannot allow that."

"But I—"

"Even if you say that you won't do it, I know you will." Tsunade interrupted her, and Sakura bit her lower lip in order to stop herself from talking back at the Hokage. "And that is exactly why I am not going to tell you anything else. When Sasuke arrives, I will let you know, but until then I won't tell you anything else."

"I understand, but…"

Once again, Sakura was interrupted this time by Shizune opening the door of the office, and walk inside while a pink pig followed her in silence. For a moment Sakura just stared at the newcomer before she gazed at Tsunade again, and then she bowed in respect.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei. I am going to talk to Ino right away." Sakura informed her, but Tsunade did not even blink as she watched her best student walk out of the office, but not before bowing at Shizune in respect.

"Tsunade-sama, Naruto-kun and Hinata-san are here." Shizune announced, and the Hokage nodded in understanding. "Shall I let Naruto-kun enter as well?"

"Even if I say I don't want to talk to him, he'll find a way to enter anyway." Tsunade grunted, and Shizune let out a nervous laugh at same time she nodded in agreement, "Let him come in as well. I don't really care."

"Understood." was all Shizune said in reply before she turned to the door, and talked to the two shinobi that were outside. Then, she stepped backwards, silently allowing for both Naruto and Hinata to walk inside before she turned to Tsunade again, and bowed. Without saying another word, Shizune abandoned the office, closing the door behind her as she did.

"Hey, Tsunade-baachan, why on earth did you call us here?" Naruto inquired as he stared at the Godaime with a suspicious look on his face. "Does it have anything to do with my training? Oh, wait, that can't be right because Hinata's here as well."

"If I recall it, I asked for Hinata's presence, not yours." Tsunade retorted as she stared at the tall young man, silently taking in all physical traits connected to his growth. He indeed did look more with his father now, especially when he grinned. "I have no idea why you decided to come here, but I know I probably won't like to hear the explanation, so just stay quiet."

"Eh? That's unfair, Tsunade-baachan!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed a finger at the Hokage, whose eyebrow started twitching at his behaviour. "I accompanied Hinata here because she fainted at home. I wanted to make sure she was going to be okay."

"Fainted at home?" Tsunade repeated, and while Hinata went red as she dropped her eyes in sheer embarrassment, Naruto nodded before he crossed his arms against his chest, a serious expression on his face. "How do you know she fainted at home, Naruto?"

"Well, it's actually very funny, but we—"

"A-ah, d-did something happen, H-Hokage-sama?" Hinata swiftly interrupted, and Tsunade slowly tore her eyes away from Naruto's face to gaze at the young woman, a suspicious look on her face. "Y-You called for me…"

"I did." Tsunade agreed, her eyes locked with Hinata's nervous form, and then she entwined her fingers in front of her chin. "You see, Hinata, your father has paid me a visit a while ago, asking me why he had been told you had left for a mission when some of his subordinates had seen Kiba and Shino in Konohagakure."

The way Hinata had widened her eyes in horror had not escaped from Tsunade's watchful eyes.

"Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Tsunade pressed the matter, her voice coming out strong yet calm, and when Hinata looked away, she knew her hunch had been correct. "Did you leave your house without your father's consent?"

"A-ah, I…" the quiver on the young woman's voice did not go unnoticed, but Tsunade continued staring at Hinata with the same expression on her face. The girl refused to make eye-contact, but that was not uncommon. Naruto, on the other hand, kept glancing from Hinata to Tsunade in confusion. "I-I…"

"This question requires a very simple answer; it's either 'yes' or 'no'." Tsunade added all of a sudden, and Hinata finally glanced timidly and uncertainly at her before she nodded. "Was that an answer to my question?"

"I-I…I did leave my house." Hinata finally admitted, and Naruto blinked at her reply while Tsunade simply leaned her back against her chair. The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan was still refusing to make eye-contact for she was now staring at some random spot close to her feet. Her fretfulness had also led her to start twiddling her fingers, but Tsunade was sure that Hinata had yet to realize that.

"So, you ran away from home." Tsunade inquired, though that sounded more like a statement, and Hinata quickly nodded at that. "Do you want to tell me why you abandoned the Hyuuga mansion? By the way, where are you at this moment?"

"Hokage-sama, I…" Hinata stopped mid-sentence, and Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she watched the young woman glancing sideways at Naruto, who was still trying to understand the situation. Without looking away from Hinata, Tsunade decided to speak up again.

"Naruto, leave the office. I shall call you when I think it's time."

"Eh? Why do I have to leave?" Naruto asked in a rather loud tone of voice, but Tsunade simply kept her eyes locked with Hinata's flushed face as she uttered one strong word.

"Leave."

"Damn, why do I always have to leave when things are getting interesting?" Naruto complained, and this time Tsunade rested her eyes on him, silently ordering him not to defy her and simply do as he was told. As he mumbled about something being unfair under his breath, Naruto turned around, and left the office while closing the door a tad too strongly behind him.

When they were finally alone, Tsunade gazed at Hinata again, and spent a few seconds just observing the Hyuuga heiress. Hinata was, for lack of words, one of a kind. Physically she resembled somewhat to a doll with her long and dark tresses, while her pale lavender eyes reflected both her thoughts and feelings incessantly.

Mentally, Hinata was a tranquil and gentle girl, who stressed too easily especially when she was bothered or feeling too self-conscious. Tsunade had noticed, in various occasions, how Hinata would either turn red or even faint whenever Naruto was around, and both actions clearly revealed the girl's true feelings.

Now, if only Naruto would notice the pearl that now stood before her…

"Hinata, you said you left your house." Tsunade started as she continued leaning against the back of her chair, and the girl timidly gazed at her before nodding. "Did your decision to leave have anything to do with what your father is planning to do?"

Eyes widened at that, and Tsunade understood that she had hit the nail straight on its head.

"I must say I am surprised with your actions; I never expected for you to run away from your home." the Hokage continued, and Hinata looked down at her fingers, "However, you probably knew that your plan was never to be successful. Even if you told your team mates to stay away from the Hyuuga mansion, your father ended up figuring out that you're still in Konohagakure. The problem is that he thinks I had something to do with it."

"I-I am sorry, Hokage-sama, I never expected…I didn't mean to…"

"I know you meant no harm, Hinata, but its time for you to accept that running away was not the answer, and that you cannot escape from your father at the moment." Tsunade proceeded, and even though Hinata was still looking down, she could see how the girl was gradually growing exhausted and gloomy. "Where have you been during these past days? Have you been with your team mates?"

"A-Ah, no…" Hinata whispered, but when she glanced at Tsunade, and noticed that the Hokage was staring intensely at her, she took a deep breath. "I-I asked Neji-nii-san to search for a place for me to stay in, and I…I moved when he told me he had found…an apartment for me to stay in for a while."

"And did you really think that moving out would fix everything?" Tsunade inquired, and Hinata waited a second before she shook her head. "Did you think you could buy some time? If you did, then I am sorry to say this, but there is no way you'll be able to escape from this situation if all you do is to run away."

"I-I know, but I…" once again Hinata took a deep breath before she raised her eyes to gaze at the Godaime. "Hokage-sama, you know in what the Hyuuga Clan bases their decisions, and…even though I knew it was foolish for me to just try to run away, I…I had to try to do something, because I…"

Hinata paused for a second, and Tsunade took in the way the girl's pallid eyes seemed to grow cheerless.

"I had to try to do something because I wanted to preserve the family portrait." Hinata finally admitted, and she looked down while Tsunade raised an eyebrow slightly at the girl's confession. "I-I tried to run away from my father because I wanted to preserve…Naruto-kun's family."

**To Be Continued****…**

* * *

Japanese words, which are common to find in _Welcome Home_ (information taken from Japanese PhraseBook - which I do _not _own, by the way - ):

**Tadaima – **I'm home.

**Okaerinasai/Okaeri – **Welcome home.

**Oyaho gozaimasu** – Good morning.

**Konnichiwa -** Good afternoon.

**Konbanwa -** Good evening.

**Oyasumi nasai -** Goodnight.

**Ja mata - **See you later/again.

**Gomen ne**/**Gomen nasai** – I'm sorry/Forgive me.

**Sayonara – **Goodbye.

**Itadakimasu** – "I gratefully receive" (by saying this, the person shows that he's thankful for receiving the food that Mother Nature offered).

**Mendokusee** – Troublesome.

**Hai – **Yes.

**Iie ****– **No.

**Ano** – Hum/Un…

**Domo arigato gozaimasu/Arigato - **Thank you very much/Thank you.

**Baka – **Idiot/Fool/Dumb (also, apparently, if the person who calls you that is close to you – a good friend, for example – then the term can also be affectionate).

Sorry for not adding this sooner. If any other new word shows up, I'll make sure to add it. Up until then, if you have any doubts let me know.

* * *

_Note:_ Also, it is possible that the summary may be changed in the future. It will probably take a few more (and hopefully long) chapters until that happens, but I thought I should let you know about that. Thank you for the attention.


	7. The Solitude in the Stars

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I want to thank _**Hektols**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**kally-kal**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**WolfLord04**_, _**Saria19**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**SioPao-chan**_, _**Dimly**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Hinata Hyuuga-Uzumaki7**_ and _**SGCred**_ for absolutely everything! You know, I am over excited with all the support I've been receiving. I never thought that so many people would enjoy _Welcome Home. _And I mean it.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_The Solitude in the Stars_

Haruno Sakura was quietly walking down one of the many roads of Konohagakure, but instead of walking with her head high, she was staring at a spot close to her feet. People around her continued with their daily-chores, and most of them ignored her as she walked past them, but Sakura simply did not care.

Her mind was too lost in memories and in words for her to acknowledge the world that was surrounding her.

_Sakura-chan, Sasuke is finally coming home._

Her mind would relentlessly recall those words, and Sakura would regularly find herself clenching her hands into tight fists while her heartbeat would speed up. Anxiety would start consuming her whole body while her hands would start to shake regardless of what she did to stop the tremble.

It was amazing how Uchiha Sasuke still had such an effect on her.

"Sakura-san?"

The pink haired girl stopped walking at her name before she looked over her shoulder in confusion. A tall young man was rushing towards her, a hand stuck in the air as he waved almost as if he wanted to have her attention.

"Oh, Lee-san!" Sakura exclaimed as she turned around, and the young man smiled widely at her as he reached her side. "How are you? It's been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it? Have you been busy with missions?"

"Well, I'm more focused in my training now." Lee answered as he rested his right hand on his hip, and Sakura smiled faintly at his eagerness. "But anyway, I have been planning to talk to you for a while, and hum…I…"

Sakura silently took in the way Lee was now scratching the side of his cheek, his eyes now locked with the ground as he mumbled incomprehensible things under his breath. Confusedly, Sakura entitled her head slightly to the side before she decided to speak up.

"Lee-san, what is it that you wanted to tell me?"

"O-Oh, I hum…that is…" Lee stuttered, looking extremely nervous for some reason, and Sakura let out an inaudible sigh as she crossed her arms against her chest. "I was just wondering…have you finished your work for today?"

"Well, there are some reports I need to write tonight, but other than that I'm free." Sakura answered, and Lee nodded mind-absently at her reply. "Why? Do you need anything?"

"Well, I was wondering if you…" Lee swallowed heavily, and Sakura observed as a faint shade of pink conquered his tanned cheeks, "If you're free…would you like to…come eat something with…me?"

"Lee-san…" Sakura said in a low and paused tone, but the young man immediately raised his hands in the air, almost as if to stop her from saying what she was planning to pronounce.

"It's not a date; it's only a dinner between two friends." Lee said very quickly, but Sakura still looked suspiciously at him. "Seriously, it's just that it has been a while since we've been together, and…well, don't you think we could spend an hour or two just catching up?"

"Lee-san, I…" Sakura stopped mid-sentence as she continued observing the young man standing in front of her. She did not know when she had realized Lee's true feelings towards her, but she guessed that Lee had never tried to cover his emotions on the first place. Now, she really did not know what to do; she really did not mind going out, and eat dinner with him because Lee was her friend, but on the other hand she was afraid of how he could take her reply.

It did not matter if he said that they were only going as friends; Sakura still feared that Lee could take it as a signal for him to continue hoping.

"If it makes you more comfortable, we can even invite someone else to come." Lee announced all of a sudden, and Sakura blinked at that at same time she blurred out an 'eh?'. "I mean, this way you don't have to worry about sending me the wrong message or something."

It was simply amazing the way he seemed to be able to read her mind sometimes.

"Well, I…" once again Sakura trailed off, and looked away not having enough courage to tell him that she would indeed feel more at ease if someone else went with them.

"We can ask Naruto-kun to come as well, though I wasn't planning to eat ramen for dinner."

Sakura was about to gaze at Lee, ready to say that Naruto was fine when she suddenly recalled where Naruto was living and with whom. If they went to Naruto's house, Lee would find out about Hinata being there as well, and that was not good.

"A-ah, we…" Sakura secretly hoped she would not end up regretting her decision, and Lee blinked when she paused, "We…can go alone, I don't really mind, but…Lee-san, you know that I…"

"Yes, I know you still love Sasuke-kun." Lee declared so abruptly that Sakura could not help but blush ten shades of red at that announcement although it was the rawest of all truths. "I'm just really happy that you accepted to come. I was a bit worried you'd refuse it."

"Well, I…the thing is…"

"Thank you, Sakura-san." Lee interrupted her, and the girl stared hesitantly at him only to blink when she saw the wide smile that was gracing his face, "Thank you for thinking about my feelings even though you didn't have to. And don't worry, I won't do anything disrespectful."

"Lee-san…" Sakura whispered as her embarrassment started to dissipate only to be replaced by regret and sadness, "I'm sorry…I know that we haven't seen Sasuke-kun for two years, but I…I just can't…forget about him…"

"Yeah, I know, and don't worry." Lee agreed, still with a smile on his face, and Sakura looked down at his words only to gaze up when the young man continued. "Your love for Sasuke is really precious, Sakura-san, and not even time will be powerful enough to wear it off."

* * *

Hinata stepped inside the living room only to stop her tracks when she spotted Naruto lying on the floor, surrounded by piles of paper. His head was resting on his right arm, and the snores that were escaping from his slightly parted lips were enough to indicate her that he was fast asleep.

With a faint smile, Hinata made her way towards her bedroom, and took a blanket from inside her closet. Then, as quietly as she could, she returned to the living-room, and gently covered the sleeping boy with the mantle. After making sure that Naruto was well covered, Hinata stood up, but when she had just been about to turn around, she stopped.

Timidly Hinata gazed at Naruto again, her eyes falling on the tranquil expression he had on his face. He looked so vulnerable in his sleep, but Hinata knew he would refuse to believe in that if he ever found out about it. But then again, it was not as if she had the courage to tell him such a thing.

The corner of Hinata's lips curled up into a small smile as the girl turned to Naruto again, and noiselessly fell on her knees so that his head was inches away from her. He had taken his hitai-ate off, which allowed Hinata to observe his face without having any obstacle shielding his face. She absolutely loved the lines he carried on his cheeks; they looked like whiskers.

Suddenly a picture of Naruto as a cat popped in her mind, and Hinata raised a hand to her lips to stop herself from giggling. That was other thing that she was going to keep to herself; after all, what would Naruto probably say if she ever confessed that she had just pictured him as a kitty? He would probably think she was plain weird...

Unconsciously Hinata extended her right hand in Naruto's direction, but stopped when the tip of her fingers caressed the boy's hair. What on earth was she doing? What would she say if Naruto suddenly woke up, and caught her touching him?

Without thinking twice, Hinata pulled her hand backwards almost as if Naruto's locks had burnt her, and leaned it against her chest. Her heart was already beating faster than normal, and Hinata was positive Naruto would hear her heartbeats if she did not move away.

Unexpectedly, the sound of a stomach growling forced Hinata to abandon her thoughts, and the girl looked down only to widen her eyes in both horror and shock.

"Hmmm…? Hinata, is that you?" a groggy voice asked, and Hinata let out a gasp before she stood up, her widened eyes still locked with Naruto's confused blue orbs. Oh dear heavens, he had caught her! Tiredly, Naruto sat up on the floor, the blanket falling down to his hips at same time he scratched the top of his head. "Err…what time is it?"

"A-Ah, i-it's dinner t-time…" Hinata stammered in reply, her cheeks growing warmer by the minute, and when Naruto raised his eyes to look at her, Hinata could swear she had almost fainted on the spot. "I-I didn't want to wake you up s-so I decided to cover you…"

"Huh?" Naruto said stupidly before he gazed down, and notice that there was in fact a blanket protecting his legs from cold. As he grasped the fabric, Naruto gazed up at Hinata again, and the girl felt her heart skip various beats at his smile. "Ah, thank you, Hinata! You're awesome!"

"Y-You're welcome…Naruto-kun…" Hinata mumbled as she looked away, a deep shade of red on her once pale cheeks, and the blond beamed at her before he stood up, leaving the mantle on the floor. "I-I'll just go a-and prepare dinner…"

"Hey Hinata, what do you say if we go eat something outside for a change?" Naruto inquired when Hinata was turning around, ready to escape from that embarrassing situation, but she froze at that question. "It's just that you're always cooking food for me, and…well, I thought I could buy you something for a change."

"Oh, you don't have to do that, Naruto-kun." Hinata announced as she looked at the boy over her shoulder, "I-I really don't mind cooking, and…you should save your money for…what's really important."

"Eh? Are you saying that asking a friend to go eat dinner with me isn't important?" Naruto asked as he blinked in confusion, and once again Hinata went red in embarrassment. "Seriously, I don't mind, and besides I really need to get away from all the paperwork Tsunade-baachan told me to take care of. I'm beginning to think she really enjoys torturing me…"

Paperwork?

Silently Hinata glanced at the piles of papers on the floor before she timidly gazed at Naruto, who was currently muttering unintelligible things under his breath. One side of her was afraid due to the possibility of someone from her household seeing her outside, but on the other hand Naruto did look like someone who deserved a break…

"Alright, we…can go…" Hinata finished in a very low tone, and Naruto immediately stopped talking to himself as he raised his deep orbs to stare at her. Hinata felt her heart skip another beat, and she unconsciously started twiddling her fingers as she turned to him, a faint pink shade on her cheeks. "We…can go out…"

"Really?!" Naruto asked, and Hinata blinked when she saw the wide smile that suddenly graced the boy's face, "Alright! Let me just go grab my wallet, and we're free to go!"

Hinata barely had time to step aside when Naruto suddenly rushed out of the living room only to let out a cry of pain when he slammed his right foot against the doorframe. Hinata covered her lips with a hand as she watched the boy stumbling towards the hall until he disappeared from sight.

When she heard Naruto opening the door of his bedroom, Hinata turned to the papers behind her, and walked towards the closest one. Carefully not to hit any of the piles, Hinata grabbed a random paper, and started reading it only to blink when she noticed that it was a rather old report.

After glancing behind her, Hinata grabbed another paper, and noticed that it was yet another aged report. Why was Naruto studying those? He had told her that he was training, but…why was he going through things connected with years ago?

"Okay, I'm ready!" Naruto announced, and Hinata instantly put the two reports down before she stood up, and turned around. Nervously, she made her way towards the door of the living-room, and spotted Naruto already putting his shoes on. "C'mon Hinata, let's go! I'm starving!"

"H-Hai!" Hinata said in the strongest voice she could muster, that did not go higher from the one she used every day. With a smile, Naruto opened the front door of their apartment, and patiently waited for Hinata to put her shoes on as well, "Ano…where are we going, Naruto-kun?"

"Well, I really wouldn't mind eating some ramen, but since you're coming with me…" Naruto pondered for a moment while Hinata took the opportunity to lock the door behind her, "What do you say if we go eat some roasted meat?"

"A-Ah, ramen is okay, Naruto-kun, I-I don't mind," Hinata replied a bit too quickly, but Naruto simply smiled widely at her, causing the girl to blush again.

"Nah, barbecue is fine." he retorted, "So, let's go!"

On the contrary of what Hinata had expected, the walk towards barbeque restaurant was everything but uncomfortable. Naruto spent the whole time talking about Tsunade, and about how it looked as if the Godaime was trying to kill him. Apparently a plan that had been setup against him by Tsunade in an attempt to stop him from becoming the next Hokage…

That idea, along with Naruto's funny expression, had ended up in Hinata laughing lightly at him.

"Hey, don't you dare to laugh! I'm being serious!" Naruto exclaimed, looking both outraged and hurt, but Hinata simply did not have enough strength to stop herself from giggling. "Tsunade-baachan just doesn't want to admit that I will be better than her! She's just trying to delay it from happening!"

"Oh, I'm sure she's just trying to make sure you're ready, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied in her soft tone, but the blond boy simply pouted at that observation. "Hokage-sama is very fond of you."

"Oi, it's Naruto-kun!" a voice exclaimed all of a sudden, and the two friends looked ahead of them only to stop their tracks when they saw Sakura and Lee standing in front of them. "Hey! What are you two doing here?"

"Konbanwa, Sakura-san," Hinata greeted as she bowed in greeting, "Konbanwa, Lee-san."

"Konbanwa, Hinata-san," Sakura greeted back as she bowed as well before she focused her attention on Naruto. "What are you two doing here? Don't tell me you asked Hinata-san to go eat ramen with you."

"Ah, how rude! I actually invited Hinata to go to the barbecue restaurant with me!" Naruto exclaimed as he made a face, and Hinata looked away at his tone. "What about you two? It looks suspicious to see you two wandering through Konoha alone, you know?"

"I'm not even going to comment." Sakura replied as she shook her head, and Lee took the chance to give one step forward, both his hands in the air.

"Actually, we were on our way to the barbecue restaurant as well." he declared, and while Naruto blinked at that, Hinata gazed at the black haired boy. "Since we're all going there, why don't we eat together? What do you say?"

"As long as Naruto pays his own bill, I don't really care." Sakura retorted, and Naruto immediately started fuming while Hinata glanced worriedly at him. Lee, on the other hand, simply smiled and returned to Sakura's side with a smile on his face.

"That's it then; the four of us will have a great night, talking about all sort of stuff." Lee proclaimed before he gazed at both Naruto and Hinata. "And by the way, Naruto-kun, you mentioned that it looked suspicious for Sakura-san and I to be walking together at this hour, but haven't you noticed you're alone with Hinata-san as well?"

That was official; Hinata was now positive she was not going to survive the night without fainting at some point.

* * *

Silently, Nara Shikamaru made his way towards the familiar marble stone before he fell on a knee, and gently took a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. Without looking away from the stone, he lit up a cigarette that he eventually put over the grave, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The majestic yet pallid Full Moon was enlightening the space where he was, making it easy for him to wander around without bumping into anything. But then again, even if there was no moon, he was too familiar with his surroundings to do any sort of imprudent mistake.

"Kurenai-sensei is doing well." Shikamaru started in a low tone as he rested his right hand over his raised knee. "Kioko is a healthy bundle of joy, and is growing gorgeous by the minute. I know it's going to be troublesome, but I'll make sure all boys will keep their hands to themselves in the future."

Chuckling, Shikamaru sat down on the grass, his eyes still locked with the name written on the marble stone.

"Choji and Ino finally decided to give it a try; it's a tad bothersome to see them trying to bite each other's head off all the time, but I guess that's what people call love/hate relationship." he continued, "I was also told that the annoying woman from Sunagakure is coming to Konohagakure. Man, I can't believe it's time for the Chunin Exams again…"

For a long period of time, Shikamaru stood silent, the corner of his lips curled upwards into a small smile. His eyes were now locked with the trail of smoke that was emanating from the fading cigarette. Then, a breeze blew from north, and Shikamaru took a deep breath before he crossed his arms against his chest.

"I have no idea why, but I suddenly thought of gardenias…" Shikamaru commented all of a sudden as he rested his eyes on the stone again, only to pause for a second. "You know, I think you'd have loved to meet her… Choji occasionally tells her about you. It's annoying sometimes, but since he never stops it's almost as if she's the fifth member of our team…"

Once again, Shikamaru paused for a second as he closed his eyes.

"I wish you could have met her as well…" he finally whispered as he stood up from the ground, and shoved his hands inside his pants pockets. "Well, I'm going now, but don't worry, tomorrow I'll be back, and I won't forget your cigarette. And before that I'll visit Kurenai-sensei. See you tomorrow."

After glancing one last time at the grave, Shikamaru turned around, and made his way out of the burial ground, his hands still stuck inside his pockets. Memories quickly started consuming all his thoughts, and with each step, a new feeling would erupt from the core of his soul. There was anger, there was sadness, there was longing…and then there was peace.

Peace because Shikamaru knew that even though Sarutobi Asuma was missed everyday, there were always small things that made it feel as if he was always around. That not to mention that Asuma had left a small gift behind that welcomed every new day with a bright smile and a joyful spirit.

"Oh look, it's Shikamaru!" a voice exclaimed from out nowhere, and the member of the Nara family snapped from his thoughts only to look to his side, and blink when he saw Naruto and Hinata walking towards him. "What are you doing here all by yourself?"

"K-Konbanwa, Shikamaru-san," Hinata greeted as she bowed in respect, and Shikamaru nodded back in a silent greeting while Naruto waved a hand in the air, a grin on his face.

"The two of you…" Shikamaru started as he looked from Hinata to Naruto, and the blond haired boy stared confusedly at him. "Man, don't you think this is going to be all troublesome? Does your father actually agree with this sort of thing, Hinata?"

"A-Ah, w-we're not…"

"I asked Hinata to go eat dinner with me; do you have a problem with that?" Naruto interrupted the stuttering girl at same time he crossed his arms against his chest, and Hinata instantly went red at his reply. "And what does her father have to do with anything? It's not as if we're doing something wrong."

"Mendokusee…" was all Shikamaru mumbled as he let out a sigh, but he decided to continue when he saw the expression on Naruto's face. "Whatever, man, it's getting late, so I'm going home. Make sure you walk Hinata to the door; it's not safe for a girl to be wandering around on the streets all by herself."

"Eh? Why would I take her home when she's livin—"

"Thank you for worrying, Shikamaru-san," Hinata spoke up in her low tone, and while Naruto looked weirdly at her, Shikamaru simply shrugged in reply. "Be careful on your way home, as well. Oyasumi nasai..."

"Oyasumi," was all Shikamaru said in reply while he lazily waved a hand in goodbye, and without bothering to say anything else, he walked past Naruto, and continued walking. After he had given a few steps, Shikamaru looked over his shoulder, and noticed that Naruto and Hinata had begun walking again.

Strange, the Hyuuga mansion was not in that direction…

"I have the feeling something troublesome is going to happen." Shikamaru muttered under his breath as he watched Naruto rambling about something while Hinata watched the blond with shy eyes. "Something quite troublesome indeed…"

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

Answer to a few questions mentioned in reviews:

**Q:** Was Hinata thinking of Naruto's ancestors when she said she wanted to preserve his family?

**A: **Chapter four (_Our Perpetual Minutes_) answers that question. In fact, you can find the following paragraph there:

_"Family… It was astonishing how affectionately Naruto spoke of such subject, although it was quite understandable why he loved to speak of his friends as if he was talking about his relatives. That's what they were to him, and for a split of a second Hinata found herself wondering if it was ever going to be possible for her to make part of that family."_

So, no, Hinata was not referring to Naruto's blood relatives when she confessed that she wanted to preserve his family to the Hokage. She was thinking about his team mates and friends.

**Q: **Who is Hinata betrothed to? Is it Naruto?

**A:** I think the following chapters will give you a clear answer to that question. I wonder how you'll behave when you find out the truth…


	8. A Broken Dream

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay! Today (29/01) is a very special day for me so here comes the new chapter! The question most of you have been asking will finally be answered, but fear not! More twists are on the way some of which not even I, the authoress, was expecting! (laughs)

I also want to thank everyone; I never expected for this story to be so well welcomed by all of you. Furthermore, the 100 reviews I have already received mean even more to me because all of you told me that you're enjoying _Welcome Home_. And that is very heart-warming. So, **thank you everyone** and I promise I'll do my best not to disappoint you!

Oh, there's a small 'gift' at the end. It's a thanking gift from me to all of you.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_A Broken Dream_

Tsunade looked up from the paper she had been examining, and gazed behind her only to see a falcon resting on the window-frame. The patch it had over its right eye was a give away about to whom the animal belonged to, but still it was with slow movements that Tsunade reached out for the message tied up to the falcon's leg.

She already knew what was written on the paper; she just needed to be sure of the date when everything in Konohagakure would change.

"You can go back." Tsunade told the falcon, and she watched as the animal took off, and quickly disappeared. Then, she looked down at the folded paper she was holding with her right hand before she opened it.

For a long period of time, Tsunade just stared at what had been scribbled on the small piece of paper, her mind processing all information as quickly as she could. Things were happening too suddenly…too hastily even for her own plans, but this time not even the Hokage had enough power to stop things from occurring.

This time all Tsunade could do was to make sure everyone was at least a little bit ready to face the consequences of what had happened years ago.

"Shizune!" Tsunade practically roared as she leaned against the back of her chair at same time she put the letter on the desk. As she waited for her assistant to walk inside, the Godaime started running the tip of her fingers through the words written on the letter, but she looked up when someone knocked on the door.

"You called, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune inquired as she walked forward, a hand still resting on the doorknob, and the Hokage nodded in return. "What can I do for you?"

"Make sure you know where Sakura and Naruto are all the time," Tsunade announced, and Shizune blinked at the odd request. "I don't want them to leave the village without my consent, and no missions are to be handed to them. Make sure they are always close to us."

"Hum…did something happen, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune inquired in a hesitant tone, and the older woman let out a sigh before she stood up from the chair, her arms now crossed against her chest. "Did…did Kakashi-sensei contact you?"

"Indeed, I've just received news from him." Tsunade replied as she turned to her side, and gazed through the window, watching as the rising sun now peeked through the top of the tallest trees. "And everything has to be done more quickly than I had anticipated. That is why I need to know where Naruto and Sakura are all the time. I cannot risk them finding out about when Sasuke's going to arrive."

"I understand; I'll make sure Sakura spends most of her time at the hospital." Shizune replied with a short nod, "As for Naruto…do you have any idea of what we may do to make sure he doesn't do anything…err…foolish?"

"Oh, I can think of a couple of things." Tsunade stated as a small smile graced her features, but Shizune still felt a shiver run up her spine when she noticed the creepy tone the Hokage had used. "And I'll make sure he's always around Hyuuga Hinata as well. Apparently she seems to hold some sort of influence over him, although they probably haven't noticed it yet."

"Shall I ask Naruto to come here then?" Shizune asked, and Tsunade slowly turned her head around so that she could stare at her assistant right in the eye.

"Summon Naruto and Hinata; I want to make sure both of them pay attention to what they have to do."

"Hai, I'll take care of that immediately." Shizune reassured, and after bowing in respect, she left the office, closing the door behind her as she went. When she was finally alone, Tsunade turned fully to the window, and gave one small step forward as she focused her attention on the streets of Konohagakure.

People were already abandoning their homes, most of them probably for not being able to escape from the chores they had to take care of. They were all at peace…they were all taking profit of the tranquillity that had been in jeopardy for more than once…

…And unfortunately it seemed that harmony was in peril once again.

* * *

Two days. They had started working together exactly forty-eight hours ago, and it was still counting. It was curious how they would always bicker and annoy the crap out of each other outside the hospital, but once the two of them were in the infirmary everything would change. Peace would prevail, and even though they would occasionally glare at each other, they did work very well as a team.

She could not explain exactly why, but she guessed they had learnt how to do that as they grew older. Besides, she knew they would never, ever, stop their squabbling; it was just too alleviating to get to each other's throats because their fights actually helped them not to go crazy when work appeared be endless.

"Bandages."

Ino nodded in silent understanding before she turned to the drawer on her right, and she gently took the bandages from inside. Carefully, she started to unwrap it as she turned to Sakura again. Without saying a word, Ino shifted closer to the sniffling child, and started bandaging the stitched wound on his upper left arm.

"There's no need to cry now." Sakura said with a smile as she continued holding the little boy's arm with both her hands, "You will have to be careful for a few days, but before you know it, you'll be jumping around with your friends again."

"And we'll tell your mother not to worry too much." Ino added as she finished wrapping the wound, and she also smiled sweetly at him. "All you need to do is to be careful when taking a bath. Other than that, just don't forget that you can't move your arm much. I know it's difficult, but try not to okay?"

The little boy shyly nodded before he glanced at his arm.

"Here, this is for you." Sakura announced as she handed the boy a lollipop, and the child glanced timidly at her and at Ino before he raised his small hand, and wrapped his tiny fingers around the gift. "Now, let's go talk to your mother, alright?"

"Domo arigato gozaimasu." the little boy thanked with a shy smile, and Ino rested her hands underneath his armpits, and helped him to leave the tall stretcher. Then, Sakura motioned for him to follow her while Ino watched them without moving an inch.

When the door of the room was closed, Ino turned to the stretcher, and started putting everything they had used on a metal tray. For some reason, she could not help but wish for something to happen that would force her to spend the rest of her shift locked up in an operating room.

"Idiot, don't wish for such a thing." Ino told herself in a whisper as she finished cleaning everything, and before she knew what she was doing, she was gazing at the window in front of her. Without looking away from the sky, Ino walked around the stretcher, and observed as the clean day continued to roll by.

It was so beautiful that it almost felt wrong to be locked inside the hospital…

…Almost.

"It seems like we have no more patients at the moment." Sakura commented as she stepped inside the room, closing the door soundlessly behind her, and Ino looked over her shoulder. "I guess we can either rest or eat something. Do you want something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine." Ino answered, and she looked at the sky again. By the footsteps that had began echoing in the room after she had spoken, Ino could say that Sakura was making her way towards the window as well. "Say, since we have nothing to do at the moment, let me ask you something; what has been eating you?"

"Excuse me?" Sakura inquired, and Ino glanced sideways at her before she focused her attention on the clouds. For a split of a second, she wondered why Shikamaru found them so fascinating.

"Please, you're terrible when it comes to hide your feelings, especially your anxiety." Ino stated without looking away from a big, white cloud, and Sakura turned her head in her direction. "And you definitely cannot hide anything from me. I noticed something was wrong a few days ago, but I didn't want to say anything until I was positive something was going on."

"I'm not sure I understand wh—"

"Sakura, _c'mon_, we have been friends ever since we were kids! Stop trying to look stupid, because that's only annoying me!" Ino interrupted her friend at same time she turned to her side, an angered expression on her face. "This pathetic side of you…I'm sick of it!"

"What are you talk—"

"Ever since Naruto won the fight…" Ino started, and she noticed the way Sakura widened her eyes slightly in surprise. "Ever since we were told that Naruto had won, and that Sasuke-kun had been taken away to a top-security prison that no one knows where it is…you have become _this!_"

Ino waved a hand up and down in front of Sakura, who was staring confusedly at her, but the blonde still noticed the speck of melancholy reflecting on her friend's eyes.

"You may be behaving normally to everyone else, but don't you think I haven't noticed the way you slouch when you think no one's looking." Ino continued, before she pointed a finger at Sakura, "And if you think I'll let you stay with Sasuke-kun when he returns, you're mistaken!"

"W-What?" Sakura finally stuttered as she blinked, but Ino simply continued pointing at her. "But you're going out with Choji! Why on earth do you want to be with Sasuke-kun? I thought you didn't like him anymore!"

"Oh, you know what people say; the first love is never forgotten." Ino answered before she dropped her hand, and rested it on her hip. "So, Sakura, make sure you're ready to face me when Sasuke-kun returns because I am not going to hand him over to you on a silver tray."

"Ino—"

"If when Sasuke-kun returns, you're like _this_," Ino continued, her voice dripping with disgust when the last word was uttered, "then you can be sure you're not going to have him. Sasuke-kun deserves more than a girl who's dwelling in self-pity. He deserves someone who can support him, especially now."

"Sasuke-kun will never choose you, Ino." Sakura retorted, but the blonde simply smirked at her in reply. "He has been my team mate ever since we were twelve. We know each other, and we know we can count with each other for anything."

"Talking is easy, Sakura." Ino pointed out, the smirk still on her face, "But I'd like to see you trying to beat me in this. After all, I am not one to run away when things get tough, and if you continue to be this pathetic then conquering Sasuke-kun will be piece of cake, and your pissed off expression will be the cherry on top."

"_Sakura-chan!"_

Ino and Sakura did not break the eye-contact at the voice, but they did end up looking at the entrance of the room when the door suddenly swung to its side. Standing in the hallway, panting, but looking almost as if he was glowing in happiness, was non-other than Uzumaki Naruto.

"Sakura-chan, let's go!" the young man announced, but none of the girls moved an inch as they continued staring at him. When nothing happened after his proclamation, Naruto practically flew towards Sakura, and grabbed her hand. "Sakura-chan, it's time! He's here!"

"He's…here?" Sakura repeated, not understanding what was going on, and Ino took the opportunity to look from Sakura to Naruto, a guarded expression on her face. Then, a gasp abandoned Sakura's lips, "He's here?!"

"Yeah! He's here!" Naruto repeated with a wide grin at same time he nodded, and Sakura unconsciously increased her grip on Naruto's hand. "Tsunade-baachan just told me! She's waiting for us, so let's go!"

"Wait, what's going on?" Ino inquired as she watched Naruto and Sakura running in direction of the door, but only Sakura looked over her shoulder as she continued to run.

"Ino, I only have one thing to tell you." Sakura started, and Ino raised an eyebrow, "You're on."

* * *

Hana stopped scribbling her ideas down on the notebook when the sound of footsteps forced her to raise her eyes. Gently, she closed the note pad before reaching out for the book she had put on the grass, next to her, and close it as well.

"You don't look too well." Hana pointed out as the newcomer sat down beside her, "What happened?"

"Gomen ne, for calling you out without explaining what's going on," Hinata apologized as she turned her head in order to gaze at her friend, a somewhat cheerless expression on her face. Hana shook her head at those words, and offered her a small smile, "It's just that…I really need to…talk to someone."

"Does it have anything to do with Naruto-kun?" Hana inquired as she raised her knees before she wrapped her arms around her legs, and Hinata waited a few seconds before nodding a bit hesitantly. "Aren't you getting along at home?"

"A-Ah, no, that's not it." Hinata said as she shook her head, and Hana entitled her head slightly to the side without looking away from her friend's face. "W-We actually get along well…at least, I think so. The problem is…"

When her friend paused, Hana took the chance to carefully observe Hinata's features. It was never too complicated to know what her friend was thinking about, because her eyes reflected everything that was bottled up inside her soul. Hana had once heard Hinata complain about her eyes, and even though she knew why Hinata had cursed her bloodline at the time, Hana still thought that her friend had breathtaking eyes.

Hinata had, after all, eyes that resembled to two pearls, graced with a pallid shade of lavender. She had eyes like no one else had; not even Neji or Hanabi's eyes could match Hinata's because her friend's orbs revealed the real emotions of her heart… Hinata's pale eyes constantly showed the true essence of the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan.

And that was why no one would ever be a match to Hyuuga Hinata.

"A while ago…" Hinata finally spoke up, and Hana blinked as she returned to reality only to notice that her friend was still looking at her stretched legs, "My father…he told me about something that…had to do with me… Father even told me he wasn't expecting for it happen in this lifetime, but…"

Hinata took a deep breath while Hana patiently waited for her to continue.

"He told me that…many years ago…a contract was sealed…"

_"Hinata," Hiashi started in a harsh tone, and his oldest daughter bowed in respect before she sat down across from him, on her legs, "I have something of high importance to tell you."_

_In silence, Hinata watched as her father took a parchment from behind him, a stoic expression on his face. The parchment was old, its yellowish shade revealing that it was probably something that belonged to ancient times, and for a moment Hinata wondered about the tales it had to share._

_"This is something that was sealed a long time ago, before you and I were born." Hiashi started, and Hinata dropped her gaze when her father stared at her. "This is something that has been carefully examined, studied and observed for many years, and every member of the Head Family has decided that its time has finally arrived."_

_For some unknown reason, Hinata could not help but fear the words her father was going to utter next. Perhaps the stories written on the parchment Hiashi was still holding were not fairy tales, but events connected with the harsh reality…_

_"This speaks of a marriage of convenience between the most powerful clans." Hinata felt her breathe get stuck on her throat at those words, "And after a long time meditating about the information contained in this parchment, the Head Family has come to realize that it speaks of a union between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan."_

_Even though she was sitting down, Hinata felt her legs tense up from beneath her, her heart now beating painfully against her rib cage. He could not possibly be referring to…_

_"And since you are the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, everyone from the Head Family has agreed that this contract refers to you and," Hiashi paused, and Hinata felt her mouth go dry, "Uchiha Sasuke."_

Hana stood silent as she stared at her friend, trying desperately not to show her shock; a marriage of convenience between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan?

"I think that…at the beginning my father wanted me to marry Itachi-san," Hinata continued after pausing for a moment, her eyes still locked with her knees, "but since he passed away, Sasuke-kun is the only option."

"That's why you ran away…" Hana whispered, and when Hinata nodded in agreement, she stared at her friend in the eye, "Hina-chan, does Naruto-kun know about this? Does anyone know about this? What about Kiba-kun and Shino-kun?"

"I-I couldn't tell them." Hinata confessed in a small voice, and Hana bit her lower lip, "I-I can't tell Naruto-kun about this, he…he's so happy with the prospect of Sasuke-kun being back to Konohagakure, and then there's Sakura-san…"

"Hina-chan…" Hana breathed out before she shifted closer to her friend, and rested a hand on Hinata's shoulder, forcing her friend to gaze at her with anxious eyes, "I understand that this may be scary, but…don't you think they deserve to know? As a matter of fact, does Sasuke-san even know about this?"

"I don't know, when father told me about this, I…I couldn't think of anything except about how I needed to get away." Hinata admitted as she looked down again, "Father even told me that I…he said that I ought to do something right for once, and yet…all I could think of was…about getting away."

"Well, it's understandable why you did it." Hana started in a cautious tone as she tried to think of what she should say. "But…Hina-chan, don't you think you should at least tell Naruto-kun what's going on? You are flatmates now, and…Sasuke-san is his friend, and…I don't know, I understand it may be hard to do it, but…"

"It's the right thing to do…ne?" Hinata finished her sentence, but Hana paused for a second when her friend unexpectedly gazed at her, a sad smile on her face. "I-I actually talked to Hokage-sama about this, and I told her I wanted to preserve Naruto-kun's family, but…it seems like I won't be able to do it."

"Okay, I'm coming with you." Hana announced at same she stood up, and Hinata looked confusedly at her as she continued sitting on the ground. "You don't have to tell him today if you think you won't be able to face him, but I want you to tell me when you're going to do it because I want to be there for you."

"A-Ah, you don't have to come, Hana-chan, I-I can do it alone." Hinata tried to say as she got up as well, but Hana shook her head. "This is my problem, so I have to fix it alone. There's no need for you to change your plans because of me."

"Don't be silly; we can't have you fainting before you tell Naruto-kun about what's going on, can we?" Hana inquired, and Hinata looked down, obviously too uncomfortable about that idea. "Besides, you're my friend; it won't be a problem."

"Hana-chan…"

"And don't you think it would be too troublesome if Naruto-kun found out about the marriage of convenience through someone else?" Hana asked, and Hinata stared at her for a second before a faint smile graced her pale features. "What?"

"Nothing, you just sounded like Shikamaru-san for a second." Hinata commented, and Hana blushed at that. Then, with gentle movements, Hana reached out for Hinata's hands, and grabbed them before gazing at her friend in the eye.

"You're going to do this, Hina-chan," the brunette started, and Hinata looked down at their hands before gazing up again, "And I'm sure everything will turn out well at the end."

"I-I…I hope so."

**To Be Continued****…**

* * *

Okay so I'm going to leave here a few quotes for all of you, concerning the future chapters. It's a small gift, and I never did it before so I can only hope you'll enjoy it.

* * *

"_I was informed you're interested in recreating The Konoha Military Police Force."_

A painfully familiar pair of onyx-black eyes was staring at her, their dark depths drained of any emotion, but still Sakura could not help but feel as if those orbs had already grasped her soul.

"_Also, the marriage will take place next year."_

A penetrating silence started taunting them on the same second they stepped inside the room where Hiashi was expecting them.

"_With Uchiha Sasuke back, the following generation will finally be able to take over the present, and take care of the future. And the old tales will fade away until they are nothing more but memories…"_

A fight was absolutely out of the question, but Ino knew she had to do something to trigger Sakura's protectiveness over Sasuke.

"_Perhaps it is time for me to tell him about his story."_

It was time to give a chance to the will of fire to rule Konohagakure.

"_Do you know the story behind this forsaken village? It is a story of anguish and love."_

Walls of countless houses were cracking, roofs seemed extremely aged. There were windows crushing under the weight of time, but the most impressive of all was the silence.

"_It is a story about a tomboy girl from this village and a legendary man from Konohagakure. It's a story about the red string of fate."_

**Note: **I hope this was enough to catch your attention! Thank you for everything!


	9. The Shadows of Our Lives

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

So far I have written twenty chapters for _Welcome Home_, and out of these, there are two to three chapters that have scenes I am not fond of. I swear I tried to re-write them, but it seemed that the more I changed the worst it became. Therefore, I decided not to alter those scenes too much. This chapter is one of those that carry one scene I do not like that much. However, I hope that doesn't stop you from reading it.

I simply want to apologize beforehand while I still have the chance.

Also, I want to thank _**SioPao-chan**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**kally-kal**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**SGCred**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Hektols**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**frogflower**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**infiniteternity**_, _**vnvanman**_, _**Iloveanime9493**_ and _**K**__**arageruX16845**_ for always letting me know what they think of the chapters. Your support means a lot to me. Thanks everyone!

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_The Shadows of Our Lives_

Two years had certainly affected him in all possible ways.

Physically, he had grown, and was now a strong and healthy young man. She knew that many girls would fall in love with his vacant expression, and with his deep, mature onyx black eyes. She could also see that he was different; he carried himself differently, and his posture had been one of the first things she had noticed.

He still carried himself with pride, but an aura of loneliness was still following him like an imperceptible shadow. She was aware that the solitude was a result of those years he had spent locked up in a prison, but it was still remarkable to observe his overconfident pose.

And then there were the invisible changes he had gone through; mental and emotional changes he had been forced to go through as he grew older. He was definitely wiser than before, and she knew he would now behave the way people expected him to not because it was an obligation, but because he knew it was the right thing to do.

Besides, he was Uchiha Sasuke; he had a duty towards his Clan, and in order to take care of everything properly he had no choice but to behave appropriately.

She had read the final report from the ANBU teams; Sasuke had behaved perfectly well, and had not even once uttered a word. It was almost as if he had withdrawn to his own little world, and refused to acknowledge what was going on. Or so did most think, because Tsunade knew better than that.

She knew that Sasuke was studying his surroundings…he was trying to get used to being back to Konohagakure…he was forcing himself to accept that he had been welcomed to his village despite of everything he had done in the past…

…But above everything else, Tsunade was aware that Sasuke was conscious that he owed his freedom to the one who he had once considered to be both his rival and best friend.

"I was informed you're interested in recreating The Konoha Military Police Force." Tsunade commented as she continued standing close to the window, her eyes locked with Sasuke, who still had an emotionless expression on his face. "That is such a bold idea, especially since you're the only living member of the Uchiha Clan. Can you tell me why you thought about rebuilding such organization?"

Two onyx-black pearls found Tsunade's golden orbs, but the Godaime easily faced the stare with a tranquil mask on her face.

"You are aware of the history behind the Military Police," Sasuke started in his deep voice, his expression never quivering as he spoke, "Why should I bother telling you about it all over again?"

"You are correct; I do know why the Military Police was created, but I need to know if you're aware of the reason as well." Tsunade answered as she crossed her arms against her chest, "After all, the Uchiha Clan founded the organization as a sign of trust with the Second Hokage. Are you trying to do the same with me?"

"Indeed."

Short and right to the point; Tsunade guessed that was something that would never change.

"I see. Are you trying to prove something to Konohagakure as well?" Tsunade inquired as she leaned against the window-frame, but when Sasuke did not reply, she decided to continue. "I believe you are aware that if the Military Police was ever to be rebuilt, that would mean that although you'd be in charge of law enforcement within the village, and that your jurisdiction would be virtually unlimited, you'd still have to answer to the Hokage, especially if you got involved with matters that are under the Hokage's direct control."

This time, Sasuke said nothing nor did he move.

"And just to refresh your memory; that would mean that by the time the Military Police is rebuilt, you'll be answering to Naruto." Tsunade finished, but once again, Sasuke was unaffected by her observation. "But anyway, aside from that, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke mumbled under his breath, and Tsunade observed as the boy got lost in his thoughts for a second, "No, I have nothing to say."

"Are you sure?" the Godaime inquired as she continued leaning against the window-frame, "Have you forgotten another reason that allowed for you to leave prison earlier? I cannot believe you decided to ignore that matter."

"That subject is completely irrelevant." Sasuke retorted after a short pause, but Tsunade did notice in his voice that the said topic irritated him somehow, "I never expected for you to think about it though, since I am sure that no one is happy for having me back."

"You'll be surprised." Tsunade retorted, now with an impassive mask on her face as well, "And also you know very well that this subject cannot be completely irrelevant as you put it. This is about your Clan's future as well as another's, so you must understand that this won't be delayed any longer."

"Do whatever you want." Sasuke answered back, and Tsunade allowed for the corner of her lips to curl upwards into a faint smirk.

"I'm sure you'll be thinking otherwise in a close future." she answered before she glanced at the closed door of her office. "And I'm sure they're about to show up as well. I wonder if I should let them see you so soon..."

Sasuke simply continued staring at her with his dark eyes.

_"Tsunade-baachan!"_

_"Tsunade-sensei!"_

Without uttering a word, Tsunade walked towards the door, and rested a finger against it, her right hand resting on her hip. Two bodies slamming against the unmoving door made the whole wall tremble while two loud yelps echoed through the whole building.

_"What the hell…? What's going on?"_

_"Tsunade-sensei, please! Sasuke-kun has returned, hasn't he? Please, let us in!"_

"I am sorry, but that is out of the question." the Hokage answered as she continued pressing her index-finger against the door, "I will not allow you to see Sasuke. Besides, none of you is supposed to be here. Didn't I give you enough work to keep you busy for a week?"

_"Aw, Tsunade-baachan let us in!" _

_"Please, Tsunade-sensei, we just…let us just…talk to him…please…"_

"Both of you have exactly one minute to turn around, and walk away before I open this door, and kick you out myself." Tsunade ordered in her strong and loud voice, and she knew both Naruto and Sakura had winced at the threat. "I allowed Shizune to warn you about Sasuke being here, but I did not give you permission to see him. Leave immediately."

_"But…Tsunade-sensei…"_

"Now!" the Godaime pretty much roared, and she knew that both young adults had winced at her tone. Then, she took the chance to gaze at Sasuke, who still had his back turned to her, while his eyes were most likely locked with the window in front of him.

_"C'mon Sakura-chan, I'm sure Tsunade-baachan will call us whenever she thinks it's the best time for us to meet Sasuke."_

Tsunade heard Sakura let out a sad sigh before footsteps indicated that the two of them were walking down the hall. When she was sure that they were not going to try to storm inside the office again, Tsunade lowered her hand, and turned to Sasuke again.

"Now, let's talk about the subjects you consider insignificant."

* * *

Silently, Neji walked out of the Hyuuga mansion, a blank expression on his face as he kept his crossed arms pressed against his chest. After almost one month, Hiashi had finally decided to reveal that he was not the Head of the Clan for nothing, and had given Neji an ultimatum; he either brought Hinata back to the mansion again, or he would be banished from the Clan forever.

Now, Neji obviously would have tried to speak up if it was not for the fact that it had been Hiashi himself who had ordered him to go find Hinata, and bring her back even if that meant using force. The worst part was that there was no way for him to get away; there was simply no path that he could use to try to buy some more time for Hinata.

"Neji?"

The member of the Hyuuga Clan raised his eyes at his name, and stopped walking when he noticed it had been Tenten who had called out for him. She had a concerned expression on her face, but her eyes held a faint speak of curiosity.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine." Neji answered with a short nod as he waited for the girl to reach his side, but she continued to watch him closely with her sharp eyes, "What are you doing here? I thought you wanted to train this afternoon."

"Well, I was about to go, but you're kind of blocking my way to the training grounds." Tenten replied with a small smile as she clasped her hands behind her back, but Neji simply continued staring at her with an emotionless mask on his face. "So, anyway, what's up? I can see something's troubling you."

"It's nothing you should worry about." Neji answered almost instantaneously, and the brunette blinked at his straightforward answer before she let out a sigh. "Do not worry about my problems."

"Oi, after so many years, and you still don't get it, eh?" Tenten inquired, and Neji blinked in confusion at her words. "We are team mates, right? Nakama, like Naruto usually puts it. So, why do you keep bottling everything inside? Even if I can't help you, I sure can still listen, and not say a word if you don't want me to."

"The matter I must take care of is about my Clan, and that's why I do not want to trouble you with it." Neji retorted, and Tenten stared at him for a second before she gave one step backwards, and let out a faint 'ah'.

"So, this is about Hinata-san, correct?" Tenten inquired, but Neji simply stared at her right in the eye, and such motion caused the girl to smile faintly at him. "So, I've hit the nail right in its head, eh? Whenever you say you have business to take care of in the name of your Clan, than it has to be about Hinata-san. Did something happen to her?"

"Tenten…"

"Hey, we may not be best buds, but Hinata-san's still an acquaintance, and if something's going on with her, I'd like to know." the girl swiftly interrupted him as she stepped in front of him. "So, can you tell me, or do I have to figure everything out on my own?"

"Allow me to rephrase what I said; this is a _private_ matter." Neji corrected his words, and silence followed his statement. "And that's why I cannot tell you anything. I understand you'd like to help, but this is something that can only be fixed by the Hyuuga Clan."

"Well, if you're using the Clan as the only justification to why you cannot tell me what's going on…" Tenten paused for a second before she looked at Neji straight in the eyes, "Then, fine, I accept your lack of explanation. Just remember that I'm around if you need to talk, alright?"

"Tenten…"

"Oh, and Lee as well." the Chinese girl quickly added, her eyes dropping in embarrassment as she continued, "Well, I have to go now. You know where you can find me, so drop by whenever you want. So…we'll see each other later, then."

"I'm sorry."

"Well, what about a dinner and I'll forget about all this?" Tenten asked so abruptly that Neji could not help but blink at her straightforwardness, "It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Actually, even ramen sounds nice."

"…Alright." Neji decided to answer after a short moment in silence, and he noticed the way his team mate stared flabbergasted at him. "What? Was I supposed to refuse the invitation?"

"N-No! Well, actually I wasn't expecting you to….accept it." Tenten confessed, but the corner of her lips eventually curled upwards into a happy smile. "Drop by later then. I'll be waiting so don't be late."

Neji simply nodded, and Tenten waved in a silent goodbye before she turned around, and walked away. With an empty expression back to his face, Neji resumed to his walk as well, his mind occasionally recalling his conversation with Hyuuga Hiashi.

Even though he had told Hinata he would not lie if Hiashi asked him if he knew where she was, Neji ended up only admitting that he knew where Hinata was residing at the moment. Neji knew that blood would be spilled if Hiashi ever found out that his oldest daughter was sharing an apartment with Uzumaki Naruto.

Calmly, Neji made his way towards Hinata's apartment, but paused when he reached the front door. Then, still with the same expression on his face, Neji raised a closed fist, and knocked on the door before he gave one short step backwards.

_I want Hinata back by the end of the week._

Neji snapped back from his thoughts when he heard the door in front of him being opened, and seconds later he found himself staring at a pair of ashen lavender eyes just like his. For a moment, the two Hyuuga just stared at each other's until Hinata lowered her gaze, and consequently broke the eye-contact.

"Neji-nii-san, d-did something happen?" Hinata stuttered as she opened the door completely, but the young man simply continued staring at her with his hard eyes. She still looked extremely fragile, almost as if she was a porcelain doll that required tender hands to take care of her. Her dark hair and pallid skin made her look almost like something out of that world while her timid eyes and kind-hearted personality led Neji to believe that she would always need his protection.

"Hinata-sama…" Neji started in his strong voice, and the girl shyly raised her eyes to glance at him, "I had a meeting with your father."

The way Hinata's muscles tensed up at his words did not go unnoticed, but Neji knew that was not the time to be benign. That was the time for Hinata to know that regardless of what she did, her father had still not forgotten about her, and about what was to be done in a close future.

"D-Did father order you to…take me back to the mansion?" Hinata questioned in her low and soft tone, but Neji did not even bother to nod in response. Both knew the answer to that question. "Did he tell you… when I was to return?"

"You have until the end of the week." Neji immediately answered, and Hinata lowered her gaze at his reply, "He is being very benevolent, Hinata-sama. He knows I'm aware of your whereabouts; he's giving you a choice to go back on your own freewill. I do not wish to force you to go back."

"Does father know that…I'm living with Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked still in the same tone of voice, and Neji mentally took a deep breath. He would never understand why she was always so worried about Naruto's wellbeing when hers was at stake.

"That would be a foolish thing to say." Neji replied before he could stop himself, and Hinata unconsciously nodded in silent agreement. "Your father knows that you are in Konohagakure, and that's why he's giving you time to go back on your own. If you force your father to come, and take you then…"

"I am aware of the consequences." Hinata interrupted him before she raised her eyes to look at him, but Neji quietly noticed that she was twiddling her fingers again. "And don't worry, I-I won't allow anything to happen to you or…Naruto-kun."

"Hinata-sama…"

"A-Ah, Naruto-kun!" the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan exclaimed all of a sudden, and Neji noticed the way she was staring at something behind him. Elegantly, Neji looked behind his shoulder, and the first thing he noticed was the gloomy atmosphere that was surrounding the usually loudmouth ninja, "Okaeri."

"Huh? Oh, it's you, Hinata." Naruto said in reply, his tone of voice rather low and disheartened before he walked past Neji, clearly oblivious of the fact that the other Hyuuga member was there, "Tadaima."

"Did something happen?" Hinata asked as she stepped out of the house so that Naruto could walk in, and the blonde glanced at her before he let out a tired sigh.

"No, don't worry…" Naruto replied still in the same tone, and Neji took in the way Hinata was staring at Naruto with a concerned expression on her face, her eyes reflecting how much she wanted to help him out. "It's just that…"

When Naruto paused, Hinata moved her eyes so that she could glance at her cousin, who stared back at her with an emotionless mask on his face. It was obvious that something was going on, and by the look of things it was not good.

"Sasuke's back."

The silence that followed those words was extremely tense, but Naruto, due to his abnormal melancholy, had failed to notice the way both Hyuuga had straightened up at his statement. Uchiha Sasuke was back? He had returned to Konohagakure?

Silently, Neji glanced at Hinata again, and the girl timidly returned the gaze. The fact that Uchiha Sasuke was back was the explanation they needed to understand why Hiashi had suddenly come up with an ultimatum. After all, if Sasuke was indeed back, then it was in the Hyuuga Clan's best interests to speed up the wedding ceremony regardless of what Hinata and Sasuke himself thought of that.

"Hinata-sama," Neji started in his controlled tone, and the Hyuuga heiress gazed at him while Naruto continued standing by the door, his eyes locked with the floor, "I shall wait for you. Contact me when time comes, and I'll come to help you."

"Arigato, Neji-nii-san…" Hinata thanked with a small bow, and Neji bowed even lower before he gazed one last time at Naruto, and then he turned around. Without glancing over his shoulder, Neji started walking towards the Hyuuga Compound, his mind drowning in thoughts.

If Uchiha Sasuke was indeed back then peace and serenity were the last things that would exist in Konohagakure during the next days.

* * *

Hinata quietly stepped inside the living-room, but stopped when she saw Naruto sitting on the floor, surrounded by the piles of paperwork that Tsunade had given him. The expression on his face was one that Hinata was not used to see; he looked miserable, abandoned even, and Hinata could not understand why. She had actually thought that Naruto would be excited about the idea of Sasuke being back, but instead…

Instinctively, Hinata started twiddling her fingers as she thought about what she could do. It was true that ever since they had started living together, they had grown closer, but speaking about Sasuke was a subject that Hinata simply did not feel at ease with.

"N-Naruto-kun, dinner's ready." Hinata decided to say as she continued fidgeting her fingers, and the blond raised his eyes to gaze at her. "I've prepared vegetable soup, prawns and furikake. Feel free to eat it when…you're hungry."

"Arigato, Hinata." Naruto thanked as he smiled slightly at her, but Hinata simply looked down uncomfortably. "Actually, have you eaten already, Hinata?"

"No…" the girl answered as she raised her eyes again, and she blinked when she saw Naruto getting up from the ground, a faint grin on his face. "Are you alright…Naruto-kun?"

"Well, I'm angry and sad because Sasuke has just returned home, and Tsunade-baachan didn't let me or Sakura-chan see him." Naruto confessed before he rested a hand on his stomach, and a growl echoed through the whole living-room, "But…hehe, as you can see, I'm getting a bit hungry. Maybe that's why I'm so depressed. What do you think, Hinata?"

"P-Perhaps…" was all the Hyuuga heiress had time to stutter since Naruto suddenly walked towards her, the wide smile still on his face, and Hinata blinked at his behaviour. Then, before she could move backwards, she felt five warm fingers wrap around her wrist, and Hinata immediately went red while her heartbeat speed up.

"Then, let's go eat!" Naruto announced as he started pulling Hinata towards the kitchen, ignoring the blush on the girl's cheeks. "Sorry for being like this, but I guess I was just really excited about seeing Sasuke-teme again, and then…well, I guess if I waited two years I'll be able to wait a few more days, ne?"

_Hina-chan…I understand that this may be scary, but…don't you think they deserve to know? As a matter of fact, does Sasuke-san even know about this?_

"Wow! This looks delicious!" Naruto exclaimed as he observed the seasoning flakes for rice balls, and Hinata blushed ten shades of red at his enthusiasm. Also, he had yet to release her wrist, which was definitely not helping Hinata in feeling any better. "Hinata, you're going to be an awesome wife!"

Hinata sure did not know to whom she had to thank for not fainting right there after those words.

Then, without even glancing at her, Naruto finally let go off her wrist, and Hinata dazedly watched him walking around the table in order to sit down in his usual spot. He was definitely behaving differently from before, but Hinata was happy to see that he was back to his usual self.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto cheerfully exclaimed before he grabbed his chopsticks, but before he could attack the prawns he looked at Hinata, who was still standing, and staring torpidly at him. "Hum…Hinata, aren't you going to eat?"

"A-Ah, yes!" Hinata exclaimed before she rushed to her seat, and she sat down as quickly as she could without falling off. Then, she hastily grabbed her chopsticks, but when she was just about to start eating, Hinata timidly gazed at Naruto. He was making happy noises as he ate, a wide grin on his face, but his eyes were darker than usual.

As she bit her lower lip, Hinata reached out for a prawn, and started nibbling on it as thoughts consumed her mind. Perhaps it would not hurt…?

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata called out in her soft voice, but the boy simply continued wolfing down his food. When she understood that he had not heard her, Hinata cleared out her throat, "Naruto-kun, can I…ask you something?"

"Huh? What is it?" Naruto asked with his mouth full, and Hinata had to stop herself from giggling at his dirty cheeks.

"Ano…I was just wondering…about Sasuke-kun…"

Naruto stopped eating as soon as the name echoed through the kitchen, and Hinata wondered if she should continue. Slowly, Naruto put his bowl and chopsticks down, and the Hyuuga heiress forced her lips to part again as she nervously prepared herself to speak.

"Gomen nasai, I-I didn't mean to…" Hinata paused, and mentally took a deep breath as she started twiddling her fingers on her lap. "I-I just wanted to…help you somehow. I…I know how important Sasuke-kun and Sakura-san are to you, so…I just wanted to…understand why you look so…sad…"

"Ah, forget about that already! Like I said, it's alright!" Naruto exclaimed as he waved a hand in front of his face, "I just thought that everything would be back to normal as soon as Sasuke was back. I didn't even think about the possibility of Tsunade-baachan not letting me see him as soon as he was back. It was the same for Sakura-chan, but I'm sure both of us will be able to wait a few more days."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, but the young man simply smiled widely at her before he began wolfing his food down again. Quietly, Hinata grabbed her chopsticks once more, and was about to reach out for another prawn when Neji's words echoed in her mind one more time.

_You have until the end of the week. He is being very benevolent, Hinata-sama. He's knows I'm aware of your whereabouts; he's giving you a choice to go back on your own freewill. I do not wish to force you to go back._

Shyly, Hinata gazed at Naruto without raising her head, and mentally took a deep breath. Naruto was obviously excited about the idea of seeing Sasuke again, but the question was, would he still be that animated after he found out about the marriage of convenience?

**To Be Continued…**


	10. The Lies behind Our Smiles

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am so happy about everything concerning this story! Last time I was this excited about finishing a story was back in 2006 (not that I am not eager to finish the most recent ones, mind you)! You guys have been so awesome, and I am so glad most of you like my Hana. That not to mention that some of you have mentioned how you're enjoying the steady pace between Naruto and Hinata! I am so happy!

I can only hope you'll enjoy the future chapters, and the upcoming twists. I will do my best not to disappoint you!

I want to thank everyone for reading _Welcome Home_, but I must leave here a special thanks to those who always let me know what they think of the new chapters: _**Hektols**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**Iloveanime9493**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**.lover**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**bluepika**_, _**Saria19**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**jolteonforever**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**KnighteWolfe**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_ and _**AnonymousD5**_.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

_The Lies behind Our Smiles_

A pale hand stopped inches away from a doorknob while a pair of pale green eyes was staring at the door ahead. Doubts had plagued her mind during the whole night while questions about why she had been unable to see her team mate after two whole years continuously haunted her. She knew that her sensei had her reasons, but still two years now suddenly resembled to eternity…

…A painfully eternity she had been forced to accept.

The question now was if her sensei was finally going to allow her to see him. Ever since she and Naruto had walked away on the previous night, upset by the fact their request had been refused, she had even failed to ask someone about Sasuke's whereabouts. And now the only person who could tell her about it was Tsunade, but for some reason Sakura felt that she was probably going to leave the office empty-handed again.

"Oi, Sakura, aren't you going in?"

The medical-nin looked to her side only to blink when she came face-to-face with Hatake Kakashi. It was curious, but it was almost as if time did not affect him; he looked as young as when she had first met him. And up until that moment only one person had managed to see what existed behind his mask.

"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura greeted with a quick nod, but the older man simply waved a hand as he stopped next to her, "I was asking myself if I should go in, actually. I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear Tsunade-sensei say that I'm not allowed to know where Sasuke-kun is."

"Well, there's only one way for you to find out." Kakashi answered with a smile, and Sakura glanced at the door before she focused her attention on her former teacher again, "And to be honest I never took you for someone who's hesitant. Just open the door, and welcome whatever comes with pride."

"With pride?" Sakura repeated as she raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but Kakashi simply let out a deep laugh before he waved again, almost as if he was asking her to ignore what he had just said. "Wait, you're leaving already? I thought that since you're here, you'd like to speak to Tsunade-sensei as well."

"No, my business can wait." Kakashi answered as he stuffed his hands inside his pockets, and Sakura blinked. "I can't be late for breakfast again, especially since Kurenai and Kioko were invited, so..."

"Well, Mesi-san has every reason to be mad at you." Sakura stated all of a sudden, and Kakashi let out a nervous laugh, "After all, your lack of punctuality annoys everyone, so there's really no reason for her to be any different."

"Ah, old habits die hard." Kakashi sighed under his breath, and Sakura had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at his observation. "But before I go, let me remind you that perhaps today will be different for you."

"Huh?" was Sakura's smart reply, but Kakashi simply turned his back to her, and walked away. For a moment, the medical-nin just stood on the same spot, staring at the corner where Kakashi had disappeared before she heaved a sigh. Her former teacher surely was never going to change…

Silently, Sakura faced the door again, but instead of reaching out for the doorknob again, she raised a fist, and knocked. She did not even notice how her breath had gotten caught on her throat as she nervously waited for something to happen.

What had Kakashi meant anyway? About her day being different from what she had expected?

"_Come in."_

Sakura felt her heart skip a beat at that order, and she straightened herself. Unconsciously, she closed her left hand into a fist while she rested her right one on the doorknob. Then, as she took a deep breath, Sakura opened the door, and gave on step forward only to widen her eyes in bewilderment at what she saw.

Abruptly, she stopped walking, her feet resting next to each other as she stared completely taken back at the people that were inside the Hokage's office.

A painfully familiar pair of onyx-black eyes was staring at her, their dark depths drained of any emotion, but still Sakura could not help but feel as if those orbs had already grasped her soul. All need for oxygen abandoned her body as Sakura continued staring at the young man in front of her, feeling as if she was swimming in the mysterious orbs that were his eyes.

"I see you couldn't wait, Sakura."

The medical-nin ignored the Hokage's words as she continued staring at Uchiha Sasuke. He did not look much different from when he was fifteen, except that he was definitely well-built and perhaps even a tad taller than before. His skin was still fair, which created an amazing contrast with his long and silky black hair.

Her lungs were already burning, begging for oxygen, but Sakura simply did not know how she was supposed to do that anymore. It was almost as if her brain was no longer accepting her request to inhale. In fact, her whole body appeared to have grown deaf to any sort of order Sakura could be planning to give it.

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but I guess we can't help it now."

Abruptly, Sasuke broke the eye-contact as he moved his head in order to stare at Tsunade, who was leaning against one of the windows. As soon as he looked away, Sakura felt as if a colossal rock had been taken off her shoulders, and her lungs almost exploded when she hastily took a deep breath.

Reflexively, Sakura raised a hand, and rested it against her chest only to feel her heart hammering against her rib cage. The effect he still had on her was both astounding and frightening…and to think he had yet to speak up in her presence!

"Well, I was planning on gathering the old Team Seven before announcing your return, but…" Tsunade paused as she crossed her arms against her chest, her eyes locked with Sasuke's, "I guess this can't be helped. However, I don't want any of you to leave this office without my permission. I need to go talk to Shizune to make sure everyone from the village is gathered up for the declaration."

"Naruto?"

Sakura felt a shiver run up her spine at that simple word, and she had to stop herself from wrapping her arms around her torso. Not even as a child had his voice affected her in such a way; perhaps the fact they had not been together for the past couple of years had changed her in more ways than she thought.

"I'll make sure he's around to see you as well." Tsunade replied, her tone of voice never changing, but Sasuke simply continued staring at her. Then, she straightened up, and glanced at Sakura, "I repeat; I do not want any of you to leave this office without my permission. I don't want anyone to find out about Sasuke's presence in Konohagakure before the announcement is made. Understood?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sensei," Sakura answered as she bowed, and Tsunade swiftly stared at Sasuke, who simply gave her a faint nod. Then, without saying any other word, the Hokage walked past her desk, and abandoned the office, closing the door behind her as she did.

When the sound of the door being closed echoed through the room, Sakura timidly glanced at Sasuke again only to see that he was now leaning against the desk. He was facing her, his arms crossed loosely against his chest, and it was then that Sakura noticed that he was still wearing the same clothing he had wore after he had joined Orochimaru.

Sakura had spent every night ever since Sasuke had been taken to the top-security prison thinking about what she would tell him when they saw each other again. Every night she would come up with different sceneries, and with different ways to start a conversation, but now that it was actually happening, Sakura simply did not know what to say.

As a matter of fact, Sakura did not even know what she was supposed to do. One side of her wanted to rush to Sasuke's side, and pull him into a bone-crushing hug while another side of her wanted nothing but for her to run towards him, and kiss him straight on the lips as deeply as she could.

And then there was her mind that kept reminding her that it was Uchiha Sasuke who was in front of her. Her mind kept recalling that Sasuke had never been a fan of any sort of touching feeling, and therefore Sakura simply did not know about what would be proper for her to do or not.

"How's the dobe?"

"Naruto? He's fine; he really didn't change." Sakura answered after hesitating for a second, and she felt another shiver run up her spine when she noticed the attentive way Sasuke was staring at her. "He was really excited about seeing you again, though. I actually thought he wouldn't let Tsunade-sensei go without her allowing him to see you first."

"...Didn't change?" Sasuke repeated, and Sakura stared at him for a second before she nodded slightly in reply. Then, the member of the Uchiha Clan pressed his arms harder against his chest, his right leg crossed in front of his left one. "We all changed, you probably just didn't notice."

The medical-nin could not help but lower her gaze at those words. Sasuke was right, and she knew it, but the thing was that it was easier to think they were all still the same. If she thought that way, then she would feel courageous enough to strike a conversation with Sasuke. After all, Sakura knew that if she told herself that two years had passed, and that the Sasuke in front of her was not the same Sasuke from her childhood, then, for some reason, she would find it uncomfortable to be in the same room as the Uchiha.

* * *

The sound of pages turning would sporadically echo through the whole library while a pair of hazel eyes stared vacantly at the written words. A hand, which was holding a pencil, had stopped moving over a notebook a long time ago, but all that went unnoticed as Fuzen Hana continued turning the pages of the book in front of her mind absently.

The truth was that Hana simply could not forget the problems Hinata was going through. It was almost as if life was toying with her best friend. Hana had noticed how excited Hinata had been about living with Naruto albeit her apprehension, but all her happiness had been shattered with the prospect of a marriage of convenience.

Leisurely, Hana put her pencil down in order to rest her chin against the palm of her right hand. Once again, she turned another page, but her eyes were no longer on the black words printed on the pages she kept on turning. Instead, she was staring at some random spot on the desk, thoughts drowning all of her sense of reality…

…That until a hand unexpectedly touched her hair from behind, but when Hana was about to look over her shoulder, a voice broke the silence inside the library.

"It's curlier than usual."

"Ah! Shikamaru-san!" Hana exclaimed as she stared at the person that was standing behind her, his fingers still playing with one of her curls, but the young man simply continued observing her brown tresses. "Oh, hum…Ino-san…she bought me a hair product, and hum…I thought I should use it…"

"It looks prettier…"

Hana blushed faintly at that as she dropped her gaze, and stared at the book she was supposedly reading. As he sighed, Shikamaru sat down on the chair next to the brunette, and leaned his chin against his right hand as he stared uninterestedly at Hana's pink cheeks.

"A-Arigato…"

"I thought you were supposed to be at the hospital at this hour." Shikamaru commented as he ignored the girl's faint word, and Hana glanced at him before she shook her head.

"It's my lunch hour; and since I have to study, I thought it would be better to take profit of the time I have." she quickly explained before she entitled her head slightly in confusion, "Aren't you supposed to be with Choji and Ino-san?"

"That would be too troublesome." Shikamaru replied as he raised his hands, and entwined his fingers behind his head as he leaned backwards, and Hana blinked, "They decided to go out on another date. It would be too wearisome if I went with them. I'm not interested in being the third wheel."

"Oh."

"And besides," Shikamaru continued still in the same position, and Hana unconsciously started chewing on her lower lip, "I need to study as well. I don't know when that annoying woman is going to show up, and…man; I can't believe it's already time for the Chunin Exams."

Hana widened her eyes slightly at those words before she looked down again. So they had finally reached that time of the year. She knew there was really no reason for her to feel so bothered about it, but the truth was that she simply could not help it. Hana was aware of the relationship between Shikamaru and the person who acted as the liaison between Sunagakure and Konohagakure to help the two villages to work together.

"When's…" Hana felt a lump on her throat as she forced herself to continue, especially since Shikamaru appeared to be waiting for her question, "When is…Temari-san going to come to Konohagakure? We still have a month before the Exams start, ne?"

"Tch, I don't know." Shikamaru answered as he rested his arms on the desk, and Hana shifted away when his elbow suddenly hit her arm. If the member of the Nara family noticed that movement, he did not show it. "In fact, I don't even want to think about that yet. It's too troublesome."

Every time Temari from Sunagakure was mentioned in a conversation, Shikamaru would always describe her as being a troublesome woman before going silent. Hana had always noticed the way he acted as the Chunin Exams got closer, but she would also perceive the way Shikamaru and Temari behaved whenever they were together.

It seemed that most people from Konohagakure were waiting for the day when Shikamaru and Temari would finally become a couple. Hana knew that most of her friends were expecting that day to come in a close future, and she guessed that some people from Sunagakure were almost certainly waiting for it to happen as well.

Now, did she like the idea of Shikamaru and Temari being together? To be truthful, Hana always preferred not to think about it. The ache that would grow on her chest was always too uncomfortable, and if she dared to ponder about that whenever Shikamaru was around, she would risk him finding out about her thoughts towards the whole situation.

And did she think that Temari was the best choice for Shikamaru? Honestly, regardless of what her heart wanted, Hana had to say that she was. Temari was known for valuing peace, which explained her position as a liaison between her village and Konohagakure. Temari was also known for having a very strong character; in fact, Hana had heard many of her friends, Choji included, mentioning Temari's skill at deducing an opponent's strategies and weaknesses moments after the beginning of battles.

In order words, Temari was exactly what the lazy, cloud-loving, strategist Nara Shikamaru needed in order to become one of the best ninja Konohagakure could ever ask for.

"Oi, am I talking to myself here?"

Hana abandoned her thoughts at the abrupt question, and raised her head only to notice the frustrated expression on Shikamaru's face. For a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other until Shikamaru let out a sigh.

"Mendokusee…"

"A-Ah, I'm sorry!" Hana exclaimed as she felt warmth conquering her cheeks, and she instinctively rested a hand on Shikamaru's arm. "I was just thinking about the Chunin Exams. I…I know you and Temari-san will do an awesome job again."

"Bah."

Hana smiled faintly at his behaviour, and did not look away when Shikamaru suddenly stared back at her. What she felt for him was insignificant; what mattered were his happiness and the fact that sooner or later Shikamaru and Temari would finally become a couple. After all, for Hana, Shikamaru was worthy of her heart being shattered if that meant she would be allowed to stay by his side as his friend.

Even if others did not agree with her, for Hana that was the rawest of all truths, and also, for her, it was not at all difficult to hide her lies with smiles.

* * *

The sugary scent of baked cookies was hovering in the air as it gradually yet untraceably conquered the whole apartment. Hinata had never managed to understand why she would always lock herself in the kitchens whenever she was feeling extremely anxious or worried. At home, the rest of the Hyuuga Clan would find her antics preposterous mostly because she was the heiress, and as such, Hinata was not supposed to ever set a foot inside the kitchen, much less to work.

However, Hinata had never really cared about what her Clan thought of her, which probably explained why she never thought twice about her need to cook. It was curious, though, how she usually preferred to cook sweets or cakes when she was feeling extremely agitated.

Carefully, Hinata took the baked cookies from inside the stove, and gently put them on a plate, one by one. Even from the kitchen, Hinata could hear the water running in the bathroom; Naruto sure was taking his time bathing. He had locked himself in the bathroom almost half an hour ago, and by looks of things, he was not going to come out any time soon.

When she finished putting all chocolate cookies in the plate, Hinata smiled faintly at what she had just prepared before she decided that it was time to clean the mess she had done. Without thinking twice about it, Hinata turned to the sink, but before she could even move a finger, the bell rang.

For a moment, Hinata stood quiet, her eyes unfocused. No matter how hard she tried not to show it, she simply could not help but fear the possibility of her father showing up on her doorstep. Even though Neji had told her that she had one week to return home, Hinata simply could not deal with the fear that would erupt from the bottom of her stomach every time she recalled her deadline.

Once again, the bell rang, this time close followed by a knock on the door. Hinata only had time to perceive that water was no longer running in the bathroom before she decided that it was better for her to go open the door.

With quiet and small steps, Hinata approached the front door, and hesitantly raised a hand before she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. She still had six days left, so it simply could not be her father or someone else from the Hyuuga Compound.

"Hinata-san! Konnichiwa!" Sakura exclaimed when the girls' eyes meet, and the pink haired girl let out a small laugh. "I still haven't gotten used to the fact you are living with Naruto. How are you? Naruto isn't troubling you, is he?"

"N-No, not at all," Hinata answered with a small shake of her head, "Naruto-kun is in the shower, but would you like to come in? I-I think he's not going to take much longer now."

"Ah thank you, I really need to talk to him!" Sakura exclaimed, and Hinata nodded in understanding before she stepped backwards, and allowed for the medical-nin to walk inside. "Oh, something smells delicious. Have you been baking, Hinata-san?"

"Oh, y-yes, I baked some chocolate cookies." Hinata answered as she closed the door before motioning for Sakura to go to the living-room with a hand, "Would you like some after they cool down? I-I can prepare some tea as well."

"Oh no, that's okay, I don't want to trouble you." Sakura answered with a small shake of her head, but before Hinata could say that she was not intruding, footsteps echoed from behind her. Slowly, the Hyuuga heiress looked over her shoulder, and reddened when she noticed that Naruto was standing inches away from her, his hair still dripping from his shower.

"Sakura-chan! I knew I had heard your voice!" Naruto exclaimed as he threw a towel over his shoulders, and Hinata felt a shiver run up her spine when he walked past her, his arm rubbing against the sleeve of her jacket. "What's going on?"

"Oh Naruto! It's Sasuke-kun!" Sakura almost squealed as she clasped her hands in front of her chest, and while Hinata felt her heart drop at those words, Naruto blinked in confusion. "I finally saw him! It was by accident, but I met him at Tsunade-sensei's office! I can't believe he's really back!"

"Eh? You saw Sasuke-teme?!" Naruto asked in amazement, and Sakura energetically nodded in reply. "Why didn't you call me? I wanted to see him as well! Man, where is he now? Is he still with Tsunade-baachan?"

"Actually he went off with Tsunade-sensei to…somewhere, and I'm not sure when they're going to be back." Sakura answered, "I think they're probably just taking care of the last preparations to officially welcome Sasuke-kun back to Konohagakure, but oh Naruto! Our team is complete again!"

"C'mon Sakura-chan, tell me everything!" Naruto exclaimed as he motioned for the medical-nin to sit on the sofa, and he quickly sat down next to her. "How is he? Did he manage to get better from the…well, you know…"

As she lowered her gaze, Hinata started walking backwards, being careful enough not to draw any attention to herself. When she reached the door, the girl spun around and pretty much flew to her bedroom before she closed the door behind her, locking it with a quick movement of her wrist.

Her heart was hammering against her rib cage, her breathing coming out rather irregular. Instinctively, Hinata rested a hand against her chest at same time she pressed her back against the door before she slide down towards the floor.

That was it.

There was no turning back.

In a desperate attempt to find a better position that could allow her to calm down, Hinata pressed her knees against her chest before she wrapped her arms around her legs. Her breathing was still extremely uneven while her heart was beating at an agonizing speed. As she blinked in order to prevent her eyes from tearing up, Hinata rested her forehead on her knees, and stayed in that position while she heard Naruto's occasionally shouts of happiness or disapproval coming out from the living-room.

The blonde's voice had always worked as a smoothing melody that helped Hinata to feel better and as if she was capable of doing anything. However, this time, as she continued listening to Naruto's muffled words, Hinata could not help but want to slam her hands against her ears, and not listen to anything.

After all, on that moment, Naruto's voice was not a blessing. Instead, every word that abandoned his lips was like a curse that was unhurriedly nailing its way inside Hinata's soul, enchanting her to return to her home, and carry out her father's dream.

One faultless and lonely silver tear rolled down Hinata's right cheek as the girl increased her grip on her legs, her forehead still pressed against her knees. It was time for the constantly smiling face to be devastated, and there was absolutely nothing she could do to prevent it from happening.

**To Be Continued…**


	11. Shackles in Words

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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I want to thank everyone who has been following this story. I know I say this all the time, but you guys really are awesome. However, I must leave here a special thanks to those who continuously let me know what they think about the chapters: _**Rose Tiger**_, _**KnighteWolfe**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**Saria19**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Zandamh**_, _**unique229**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Dimly**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**The Elven-Spear**_, _**SioPao-chan**_, _**jolteonforever**_, _**Shinako Hyuga**__**,**_ _**Iloveanime9493**_and _**vicucha**_.

Also, I must confess that I love the ideas some of you write down on your reviews. Thank you so much for all of your support!

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**Chapter 10**

_Shackles in Words_

Tsunade stared at the adults in front of her, her hands clasped in front of her chin as she thought deeply about what had just been decided. It was pretty much a leap of faith, if someone asked her to label that moment. All of their assumptions were made upon reports and rumours, and now it was the time to determine what was supposed to be done.

Deep down, regardless of how they reacted towards the subject, it was known that everyone was ready to give that step. At the beginning they had decided to be honest, and reveal that they were still wary about some aspects, but the biggest influence on their decision had actually been something that had been uttered a long time ago.

Their biggest influence had actually come from someone who was not present at the moment, but that had all reasons to detest what was about to be done. And yet, instead of hating, that person had requested for a second chance. He believed in people. He believed that a second opportunity should be given…

…and thus the group had decided to offer Uchiha Sasuke a second chance.

"I accepted the idea of reinstating the Military Police." Tsunade announced as she stared at the people in front of her with hard eyes, "Despite of the risks, I accepted that as a contract between the future Uchiha Clan and Konohagakure's Hokage."

"It is safe to say he's following Madara's idea, then." ANBU Yamato commented all of a sudden, his right hand resting on his hip, and Tsunade looked at him. "He was after all the one who founded the first police force in Konoha and swore to protect his people with his life."

"Even though it will take many years to restart the Military Police, and for it to become what it was in the past, I still have accepted to let it happen." Tsunade said, "I already asked for Shizune to prepare a document, which Sasuke and the Hokage will sign. It will be a lifelong contract, which shall never be broken."

"Well, I guess we don't really have to worry about what the next Hokage will think of all this." Kakashi stated, both his hands stuffed inside his pants pockets, and Tsunade focused her attention on him. "After all, Naruto was the one who convinced all of us to let Sasuke return to the village."

"What about the rest?" Kourui Mesi questioned, her mismatched eyes locked with Tsunade's form while a frown was on her face, her arms firmly crossed against her chest. "Have you decided who shall keep a watch on Uchiha? Is it going to be Yamato?"

"I will have an ANBU team watching Sasuke closely from now on, yes." Tsunade agreed with a short nod, "There will be no familiar faces on that team, though, mostly because all of you already have your own missions, so it's not necessary to make new arrangements."

"For how long are you going to keep Sasuke under surveillance?" Kakashi inquired all of a sudden, and Tsunade looked at him again. "He is smart; even if you allow him to wander around through Konohagakure he will know that ANBU is watching him."

"I never said he wasn't supposed to know he's being watched." Tsunade stated matter-of-factly, and Kakashi let out a faint chuckle while the Hokage glanced at the three adults. "At the moment, Sasuke is staying at Ibiki's working place. Later today we shall sign the contract, and everything will be ready."

"Are you planning to announce his return today?" Yamato questioned after a short pause, but Tsunade simply shook her head, "Where is he going to live after you let him go, anyway?"

"I am going to announce his return tomorrow morning." the Godaime started in her usual strong tone, "As for where he's going to live; I decided that he shall return to his home."

"You're going to let him return to the Uchiha Compound?" Kakashi asked as he furrowed his eyebrows in suspicion, and once again Tsunade nodded in silent agreement. "That side of the village is ruined; I am not sure if he's going to be able to live there. Why don't you give him the chance to start rebuilding that place as well?"

"And where should I put him on the meantime?" Tsunade questioned, "Yamato will be leaving for another mission soon, and there is no way I am going to allow Sasuke to live with Sakura or Naruto for that matter. If he stays in the Uchiha Compound, regardless of its current condition, he will be given a chance to show what he truly wants to do."

"What if…?" Mesi spoke up, and everyone turned to her, "What if he stays with Hatake and me? I am not at home very often, but Hatake understands Uchiha better than most people, and besides, they were teacher and student in the past."

"What are you saying?" Tsunade inquired, but Mesi simply gazed at Kakashi, who stared back at her.

"It is true that Uchiha has grown stronger, and needs to be kept under surveillance at all time, but Hatake can also help out with that." Mesi continued, "He is a former ANBU after all, and as Uchiha's former teacher, he knows how to deal with him."

"Kakashi, what do you think of that idea?" Tsunade asked as she focused her attention on the silver haired Jounin, who simply continued staring at Mesi before he let out a sigh.

"You're doing this because I got late for dinner yesterday, aren't you?" he asked, but when Mesi simply smirked at him, Kakashi sighed tiredly again before he looked at Tsunade, and nod.

"Sasuke can stay with us."

"Good, I'll inform Sasuke when I see him." Tsunade answered with a faint nod, "Thank you for your help, you are dismi—"

_"Tsunade-baachan!!!"_

_"Ah, Naruto-kun, you can't go inside!"_

Shizune's words were obviously ignored since the door of the office suddenly swung open, and revealed an angry-looking Uzumaki Naruto. Seconds later, Shizune appeared behind him, and her eyes widened in horror when she noticed the open door.

"Naruto-kun, Tsunade-sama is in a meeting!" she exclaimed as she reached out for the boy's arm, but the Godaime simply let out an annoyed sigh before she stood up from the chair. "Tsunade-sama, I'm really sorry. I tried to stop him, but—"

"It's all right, Shizune, let him stay." the Hokage swiftly interrupted her assistant, and Shizune closed her mouth before bowing in apology. "Naruto, you ought to learn some manners. You are old enough to know you knock first, and then enter."

"I don't care about manners now! Where's Sasuke?" the young man asked, clearly not wanting to meditate about the Hokage's warning, and he quickly made his way to Kakashi's side. "Where's Sasuke-teme? Since Sakura-chan saw him yesterday, I can see him today, right?"

There was a pause, and Tsunade locked eyes with Naruto before uttering one single word.

"No."

"What? Why?" Naruto practically howled before he pointed a finger at the Hokage, "That isn't fair, Tsunade-baachan! Why was Sakura-chan allowed to see him, and I'm not? As the future Hokage, I deserve to see him! You don't even have to take me to him. Just tell me where he is, and I'll go by myself!"

"That's not going to happen." Tsunade retorted still in the same tone, and Naruto immediately threw his arms in the air in frustration. "Sakura saw Sasuke yesterday because she appeared here without any previous warning. There was nothing I could do; there's no point in crying over spilled milk."

"But still, it's unfair!" Naruto pretty much whined, and while Kakashi shook his head, Yamato chuckled at the boy's behavior while Mesi smirked. "I was the one who almost died while trying to bring Sasuke-teme back. You know I don't like to brag, but it's really unfair that I haven't seen him yet!"

"I understand your feelings, Naruto, but now it's the time for you to prove that you're ready to become the next Hokage." Tsunade declared, and her words grasped all of the blonde's attention. When she noticed the confused expression on Naruto's face, the Godaime continued, "You have studied all the laws and norms, and you are aware of the implications that we must take care of in order to welcome Sasuke again."

"Bah, I hate politics!"

Everyone, including Tsunade, had to restrain themselves from chuckling at that.

"Naruto…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm going." Naruto interrupted before he crossed his arms against his chest, "Man…just make sure I see Sasuke before you broadcast to the whole village that he's back, okay? At least grant me that..."

"I'll think about it." Tsunade answered, but the older adults present in the office knew that she was just messing around with Naruto. And the Hokage saw the results of her teasing rather quickly since Naruto immediately started mumbling things under his breath before he turned around on his heels, and left the office still talking to himself.

"Anyway, like I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted," Tsunade continued right when Naruto slammed the door behind him, and she stared at the three ninja in front of her, "you're dismissed. We shall meet again later, though, to discuss some minor details about Sasuke."

"Hai!"

* * *

Hinata did not even bother to raise her head from the pillow when she heard the front door of the apartment being opened. She heard Naruto shout out a 'tadaima!' and moments later footsteps indicated that he had went to the kitchen, probably to see if there was anything that he could eat.

A loud cry of happiness echoed through the whole house, and Hinata guessed that Naruto had most likely found the chocolate cake she had baked a few hours before. As she listened to plates clacking, Hinata turned her back to the door before she rested her right hand on the pillow, in front of her lips.

She had barely slept, too worried about what was going to happen in less than five days to even rest. She had tried to come up with something…anything that could help her escape from what was beginning to resemble to a dead end.

Was there really no way for her to escape from the marriage of convenience? In the midst of a troubled night, Hinata had figured out that if she got married with Sasuke, then she would be forced to become the wife of the Head of a Clan. Her marriage to Sasuke would connect her to the Uchiha Clan, and thus make it impossible for her to become the Head of her own Clan, which was absolutely frightening.

After all, if she did not become the Head of the Hyuuga Clan, then Hanabi would be obligated to do it. And even though they did not get along occasionally, Hinata knew that her youngest sister was not at all interested in becoming the heiress of their Clan.

Perhaps her father had not thought of that?

Hinata closed her eyes as she meditated about that possibility; her father not thinking about everything? That was implausible and impossible; Hyuuga Hiashi _always_ thought about everything, to the smallest of all details, and did not forget anything.

But if that was true, then that meant that he had planned for his older daughter not to become the Head of the Hyuuga Clan in the future…

"That's not true…" Hinata told herself in a soft tone as she pressed her face against the pillow, her long hair falling over her shoulder at the movement. It simply could not be true; after all those years training to become stronger, Hinata was almost sure that she could become the next Head, and besides there was no way she was going to let Hanabi suffer the way she had suffered in the past.

Oh heavens, how could there not be a way out? No matter how hard she tried to come out with an exit, Hinata simply found no answers to the questions she was asking. There was no way she could run away from the wedding, especially since Sasuke was now in Konohagakure. Her father would most likely lock her inside her bedroom until the wedding day, and keep her under surveillance until she said 'I do'.

Oh, what to do? What to do?

_"Hinata?"_

The girl's heart skipped an excruciating beat at the sudden voice, and a knock on the door of her bedroom quickly followed Naruto's voice. For a second, Hinata wondered if she should pretend to be asleep, and for that she did not even dare to move an inch.

_"Hinata, are you in there?"_

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before she slowly sat down on her mattress. Thankfully, the bed had not squeaked under her weight, but Hinata guessed that Naruto deserved to know that she was inside the house. That was the least she could do for him.

"H-Hai, I'm here."

_"Ah, cool! Since everything was so quiet, I couldn't tell for sure." _Naruto commented from the hall, and Hinata cautiously stood up before she walked towards the door. For a moment, she simply stood there, her right hand pressed against her chest while she stood one arm-length away from the door. _"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I talked to Tsunade-baachan. Once again she didn't let me see Sasuke-teme."_

Hinata froze at those words, her slightly widened eyes locked with the door.

_"But anyway, at least she promised she'd let me see him before she announces his return to the whole village." _Naruto proceeded, and Hinata felt her breath get caught on her throat. _"Oh, and I really loved the chocolate cake. Thank you for it!"_

_You're welcome _was all Hinata wanted to say, but instead of uttering a word, she simply moved closer to the door. Timidly, she extended her right hand, and gently caressed the dark wood with the tip of her fingers. For some reason, she could not help but wonder how it would be if she suddenly opened the door, and asked for Naruto to embrace her.

Would he hug her? Or would he stare weirdly at her before asking if she was feeling alright?

_"Hinata?"_

"A-Ah, y-you're welcome, Naruto-kun." Hinata stuttered as she yanked her hand from the door almost as if it had burnt her skin, and she quickly pressed it against her chest again. Immediately, her cheeks started warming up, and Hinata looked down although there was no one around to see her blush. "I-I'm glad y-you liked it."

_"It was delicious! Hey, what do you say if you bake something for Sasuke-teme's announcement? We could have a meeting afterwards or something!"_ Naruto exclaimed, obviously excited about the idea, and Hinata felt a lump grown on her throat. _"But then again, it's probably too late to ask Sakura-chan what she thinks about it. Ah! Why didn't I think about this before?"_

Hinata wanted to laugh, or maybe just chuckle. She really did, but instead, she felt tears emerging from the depths of her soul, and she had to press both her hands against her lips. She simply did not know what she could do; if she told Naruto about the marriage, regardless if it was of convenience or not, she was positive he would detest her.

Naruto would probably refuse to talk to her from that moment on, and Hinata simply could not bear that thought. And the fact that Sakura would have to be told about it as well did not help the situation, in fact, it only made it worse.

_"Oh, sorry, I'm rambling, and you're probably trying to rest." _Naruto spoke all of a sudden, and Hinata closed her eyes shut as she unconsciously shook her head in reply. _"I'm going to be in the living-room, trying to survive to all that paperwork. If you need me, just scream."_

And she honestly wanted to.

All Hinata wanted to do was to scream, punch, kick, and cry until she no longer had tears, but instead all she did was stand still while she listened to Naruto walking away. When his footsteps no longer reverberated throughout the house, Hinata felt her legs grow numb, and she fell on her knees.

Shaking, Hinata lowered her gaze until she was staring at the point where the floor seemed to unite with the door, her heartbeat gradually increasing with nervousness. Without thinking, the young woman parted her lips, her hands now resting on both sides of her legs.

Naruto simply did not hear her silent cry for help.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

_**Question for the readers:**_ since she will be appearing in most of the chapters, would you like if I added some information about Fuzen Hana (my Original Character) at the end of one of the future chapters? Just adding some facts and such?

_**Curiosity:**_ I read in that Kishimoto stated that he was thinking of making Kurenai's child a girl. Imagine if he named her Kioko? (laughs) Well, at least I got one thing right without even knowing it. Thank you for the attention.


	12. Sayonara, Naruto kun

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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OMG! Did you actually see that?! _200_ reviews?! I am shocked! When I first decided to post this story, I never thought so many people would actually enjoy it! I am so happy!!! I really, _really_ hope I will never disappoint you guys. I know this story is taking ages to develop, but still, I promise I will do my best to not give up until _Welcome Home_ is finished. Thank you so much! I feel like hugging all of you!

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_**Attention: **_Some readers/reviewers have been asking me about why on earth I keep adding Japanese words here and there, and why I use honorifics. Well, I understand that words may be annoying, but do not demand me to take the honorifics off the story. Most of you possibly know that Japanese use a broad array of honorifics for addressing or referring to people with esteem. For them, the use of honorifics is mandatory in many formal and informal social situations. This was one of the reasons why I was determined to keep up with the honorifics. I don't mind taking the Japanese words off the story, but the honorifics will stay.

I apologize if that irritates some of you, but I'm sorry; I will not be changing my story just because of that. This was somewhat of a challenge I chose for myself, and I intend to do my best to succeed in it.

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_**Authoress Note:**_ Ah, here it is; the chapter I least enjoyed writing (out of twenty-one chapters so far). The only scene I loved writing was the last one, but still I hope that doesn't stop you from continue reading _Welcome Home_. And before you start yelling at me, saying that this would never be possible, let me ask you to wait. All reactions will be explained later on. Just give me time to continue with the updates. Thank you for the attention.

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**Chapter 11**

_Sayonara, Naruto-kun_

The day had finally come.

It looked as if the god of the sun was quite content with the present day, for the sun was glowing intensely and warmly as it leisurely reached the top of the clear heavens. Everyone had already been convoked, and from her window, Tsunade could easily spot the still growing mass of people that was gathering in front of the building.

All of them knew that something of high importance was going to take place, but no one could say what.

"Are you ready?" Tsunade inquired as she looked away from the window to stare at the silent young man that was standing in the middle of the office, still wearing the same outfit as before. Apparently, he refused to wear any other type clothing except for that one… "There is no turning back now."

"I'm ready." was all Sasuke said in reply, and Tsunade nodded before she turned around so that she was facing him. Without announcing herself, Shizune opened the door with her right hand since she was holding a pink pig in her left arm.

"Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-san and Mesi-san are here, Tsunade-sama." the black haired woman declared before she stepped backwards, and seconds later the three ninja stepped inside the office, bowing as they did. Then, Shizune spoke again, "Everything is ready, Tsunade-sama."

"Thank you Shizune, we'll leave in one minute." Tsunade answered, and her assistant nodded in understanding before she left the office, closing the door soundlessly behind her. Slowly, the Hokage looked at Sasuke again, "You already know where you're going to stay, and what you're supposed to do. I don't want to regret welcoming you back; don't disappoint me."

Sasuke said nothing in return.

Without saying another word, Tsunade walked past her desk, and left her place of work, Mesi silently following her. Then, Sasuke made his way towards the door with Kakashi and Yamato following him closely from behind. Those who were standing in the hallways moved aside in order to allow the group to pass by without any obstacles while stares followed Sasuke's form.

Murmurs followed the group like shadows, as every worker inside the building finally realized that Uchiha Sasuke had returned to the village. And yet all of them knew that no one was supposed to let those who were outside know about what was going on for that was Tsunade's job.

"Where's Naruto?" Tsunade questioned when Shizune suddenly appeared on her left as they continued making their way towards the balcony. The announcement was going to take place there, and hopefully everything would go as planned.

"He's waiting at the terrace." the younger kunoichi answered, "Two ANBU are with him. I asked Sakura to stay with the rest of the crowd, and I believe Hinata-san is with her as well. Everything is ready for you, Tsunade-sama."

"Good." was all the Hokage said in reply as she nodded faintly, but when the door that led to the balcony came into view, she stopped walking. Everyone who was following the Godaime mimicked her actions in a matter of seconds as they watched Tsunade turned to them, hands on her hips. "Very well, it's show time."

"Naruto is in the terrace?" Kakashi asked all of a sudden, and Tsunade gazed at him before nodding. "Hum…that's a very interesting idea…"

"We don't have time for your musings, Kakashi; we have an announcement to make." Tsunade cut the Jounin off, before she stared directly at Sasuke, who looked back at her with a vacant expression on his face. "Come; it's time for you to meet your best friend."

Without wanting to waste any more time, Tsunade turned around, and made her way towards the door. Quickly, she rested her hand on the doorknob, and twisted it around before pushing the door forward. As expected, Naruto practically flew to her side as soon as she stepped outside.

"Tsunade-baachan, where's Sasuke-teme?"

"I'm beginning to think that seeing Sasuke is the purpose of your life right now." the Godaime sighed as the blond haired boy stopped in front of her, looking really excited about what was about to happen. "But fine, I guess you do deserve to see him after everything that happened between the two of you."

With those words, Tsunade stepped aside, and had to restrain herself from chuckling when she saw Naruto's confused expression when Mesi appeared from behind her. Then, Shizune emerged from the stairs, and Tsunade could easily tell that Naruto was growing restless.

Then, a black boot appeared close followed by a strong leg, a firm torso, and the familiar face that had probably haunted Naruto's sleepless nights. The silence that followed Sasuke's appearance had not been calculated, but Tsunade was observing Naruto's face strictly.

He was bond to do something sooner or later…

…When Sasuke had appeared from behind Shizune, Naruto had felt his whole body shut down while his eyes locked with a pair of onyx-black orbs. How long had it been since they had last seen each other? Two years and a few days, perhaps? Well, it did feel like an eternity had rolled by, and that was exactly why Naruto had pretty much froze on the spot.

He had imagined that moment many times ever since he had been told about Sasuke's return. He had pictured himself jumping and cheering in happiness. He had also imagined himself starting a new quarrel with Sasuke. Heck, he had even pondered about the possibility of hugging the Uchiha, and yet now that they were standing in front of one another, Naruto could not think of one single thing.

"Oi, dobe…"

Ah, there it was; one thing that would never, ever, change; Uchiha Sasuke pompous smirk.

"Dobe…?" Naruto repeated as he blinked, but when he noticed that Sasuke's smirk was growing wider, he felt irritation pulsating throughout his body. Before he knew what he was doing, Naruto pointed a finger at him. "Who are you calling dobe, Sasuke-teme? You just arrived, and you already think you're better than me?!"

"I hardly believe I ever stopped being better than you." Sasuke retorted, and Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Do you have amnesia or something? I kicked your ass two years ago! That proves I am way better than you!"

"Oh, you still think you won?" Sasuke questioned in a cool tone, his smirk never fading. "Nonsense, I just let you win. You know how they say; it's always good to let children win once in a while so that they don't grow depressed."

"Eh? Who are you calling a child, you bastard?" Naruto asked, his eyes flashing with anger while Sasuke kept his snobbish pose, "I'm going to tell Sakura-chan, and you'll see! She'll kick you to next year!"

And before someone could stop him, Naruto stormed towards the railing, and stared down, at the mass of people gathered at the entrance of the building.

"Sakura-chan!!!" he yelled at top of his lungs, and everyone that was on the terrace sweatdropped at his behaviour, "Sakura-chan!!!"

"Oi, oi, isn't that Naruto?" Inuzuka Kiba asked all of a sudden as he stared at the orange and black dot that was standing in the railing, and everyone looked up as they started to murmur amongst them. "Hey, Sakura, I think he's calling for you."

"What on earth is that idiot doing?" Sakura asked as she stared at her former team mate, who kept screaming out her name like a madman. "Why is he waving like that?"

Hinata felt dread consume her as she watched Naruto almost falling off the railing as he did the best he could do catch Sakura's attention. Even from afar she could see that Naruto had already met the person that had once completed Team Seven along with Naruto and Sakura.

And now there was no turning back.

"Hinata-sama..."

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan felt a shiver run up her spine when familiar warmth appeared from behind. There was no point in her looking over her shoulder; she knew who had called for her, and what he wanted.

"I-I know, Neji-nii-san." Hinata stuttered as she kept her eyes locked with Naruto's form, her voice coming out soft and low as usual, "I told you before. I'm not going to let father do anything to you or Hanabi-san. I…I'm going to do what he wants me to."

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted again as he kept waving his right hand in the air, "Sakura-chan, come up here! You need to teach Sasuke-teme a lesson! He called me a child!"

"What did he just say?" Ino asked as she stood between Choji and Shikamaru, but everyone simply let out gasps of surprise when they saw two forms appear next to Naruto. One of them was Tsunade, whose arms were crossed against her chest, while the other one… "Ah! It's…it's…it's…"

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura whispered, her eyes locked with the silhouette that was standing next to Naruto, "Welcome home..."

"People of Konohagakure!" Tsunade roared from next to Sasuke, but the huge group of people kept mumbling and muttering things about the person that was standing next to the Hokage. "After long debates, I am here to announce that Uchiha Sasuke has finally returned to the village!"

…And now it was a matter of minutes for reality to kick in.

* * *

Even though the former Rookie 9 had tried to get closer to Sasuke, they had been stopped by a silent looking Tsunade. After the pronouncement, the Hokage had ordered for Kakashi to take Sasuke to his apartment, and to let the boy stay there for the rest of the day. There was no need to cause even more disorder within Konohagakure, especially since it was evident that most people were still shocked with the idea of Sasuke being in the village.

"This is going to be your bedroom for now." Kakashi announced as he opened a door before stepping aside so that Sasuke could take a look inside. The room could almost be described as an office since the right side was filled with bookshelves while there was a desk on the opposite wall along with a sofa that most likely could be used as a bed. "The bathroom is at the end of the hallway."

Sasuke simply nodded at that as he continued observing the filled bookshelves. At least he was not going to get bored in there for quite some time. Then, the Uchiha turned to his former teacher, who simply smiled faintly at him.

"You're free to read those books if you want; I'm sure some of them will catch your attention." Kakashi commented, and once again Sasuke nodded, "Anyway, I think you already have an idea of how the house is. Oh, and in case you didn't notice, Yamato created this place precisely for two separate households. Do you want to know who your neighbours are?"

"As long as it isn't the dobe…"

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but it is." Kakashi stated, and Sasuke blinked at his jovial reply, "Naruto is currently living on the first floor, but don't worry, he doesn't know you're living with me. As a matter of fact, he has never visited, and I doubt he's going to start now."

"Hn."

"Do you have any question you'd like to ask before I go?" Kakashi inquired, and Sasuke stared at him for a moment. "I need to go buy some groceries, because I really wasn't counting on having someone else living with me, so…"

"That woman…" Sasuke started, but he paused when Kakashi's observant eye meet his, "The Jounin that was with you and Yamato during the whole time…did you two get married?"

"Why do you ask?" Kakashi asked back as he crossed his arms against his chest, and Sasuke looked away with a grunt. "If you're trying to ask if you're going to see her frequently, then the answer is yes. Mesi is going to drop by many times."

"Hn..."

"If that's all you have to ask, then I'll be on my way." Kakashi continued when Sasuke said nothing, "I'll be back in half an hour or so. Feel free to wander around through the house, and if you're hungry, help yourself out. Oh, and don't forget that after lunch we have to go meet Tsunade-sama again."

Sasuke nodded again in understanding, and Kakashi turned his back to his former student before he left the house. When silence finally settled down, Sasuke turned to his new bedroom, and stepped inside before he looked around. The walls had a gentle shade of beige while the ceiling was white; smoothing colours for someone who enjoyed spending his time meditating.

Standing in the middle of the room, Sasuke continued observing the bookshelves before his eyes fell on a familiar title: _Icha Icha Paradise_. Unconsciously, the young man moved closer to the collection of books, but did not touch them. It was not the books that had caught his attention, but the memories they held behind all pages and words.

Sasuke could remember Kakashi taking a book from inside his pouch when he faced Naruto for the first time. Sasuke could also recall Kakashi wandering around through the village without taking his eyes off his book. He could recollect his team trying frantically to understand why their teacher loved that kind of literature, even though he had always tried to look uninterested…

It was the memories of Team Seven that had lead Sasuke to rest his eyes on the book collection written by the infamous Jiraiya. And yet, at same time, all those memoirs appeared to be nothing more than fuzzy pictures of the past after everything they had went through.

Suddenly, flashes of his and Naruto's last battle erupted from the back of his mind, and Sasuke instantly closed his eyes. He did not know for how long he stayed in that position; standing still in the middle of the room, his eyes gently closed while he tried to keep his heartbeat normal. After all, even though he was never going to admit it out loud, that battle had left many scars in his body no matter if they were visible or not.

And Sasuke knew that Naruto went through that same experience every time he recalled that evening.

Naruto… Sasuke wondered how he was going to take the news. Probably as badly as Sakura would, but then again, could he dare to expect any other behaviour? Sasuke knew he should not. Although he had not been with his former team mates for two years, and had grown distant from them during his adolescence, Sasuke could easily notice that both Naruto and Sakura had changed.

Yes, Naruto, along with him, had behaved as if nothing had changed that morning, but that had all been for old time's sake. It had been the only way they had managed to come up with in order to end with the tension and agitation that had surrounded them after his appearance. Sasuke knew that next time they saw each other they were not going to behave the same way.

And then there was Sakura, who seemed to be trying as hard as she could to make it look as if nothing had ever happened. Sasuke knew she was not doing it deliberately; when they had faced each other at Tsunade's office, he had known that much. Sakura was trying to deal with the changes, and at same time she was struggling to believe that things would eventually return to what they were before…

…to what they had been before he had betrayed them…

"Oh, here you are." a voice commented out of the blue, and Sasuke opened his eyes only to stare blankly at the entrance of the room, and see Mesi standing there, "So, even though you're obviously enjoying doing nothing but stand in there, I was wondering if you'd like to come and give me a hand in the kitchen."

"Kakashi went to the groceries." Sasuke pointed out before he could stop himself, but the woman simply continued staring at him. Hmm, maybe that had been her tender way of ordering him around?

As he mentally sighed, Sasuke made his way towards the door, and Mesi smiled faintly at him before she turned around, and walked to the kitchen. Sasuke followed her, in a much slower pace, but when he was about to walk through the door, he stared at the ceiling.

So, Naruto was his neighbour, eh? For some reason, Sasuke could not help but feel as if something was going to happen sooner or later.

* * *

That house had never looked so frightening distant and empty.

Naruto was out; he had decided to spend the rest of the day with Sakura, most likely to talk about what had happened that morning. Obviously she held nothing against his decision; she understood his need to talk about the past with Sakura so that both of them could, together, embrace the future, and welcome Sasuke once again with wide open arms.

With the tip of her fingers, Hinata caressed the wall on her right side as she left the living-room, and noiselessly made her way towards the kitchen. She had already cleaned everything up, and she had also finished preparing a snack and dinner; this way, when Naruto returned, he would have food ready for him.

Hinata had also left an envelope on the table of the kitchen. Inside was her share of the rent, and hopefully Naruto was not going to forget all about it. Hinata really did not want him to go through troubles just because he had ignored the end of the month, and thus forgotten to give Kakashi the money to pay the rent.

Unconsciously, Hinata raised a hand towards the black counter of the kitchen, and caressed the cold and hard surface with the tip of her fingers. She was indeed going to miss that place…and having Uzumaki Naruto as her flatmate.

Suddenly, there was a knock, and Hinata dropped her hand before she rushed towards the front door. She already knew who it was, and she also knew that even though Naruto was not going to return any time soon, they could not be delayed.

"Hinata-sama," Neji greeted with a small bow when the door was opened, and Hinata stared at him before bowing in a silent greeting as well. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I just need to go grab my things." Hinata answered before she turned around, and hurriedly made her way towards her bedroom. As soon as she was inside her room, Hinata hastily grabbed her bag, but stopped moving right before she could walk through the door again.

With her ashen eyes, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan observed what had been her bedroom for the past month. She could still remember quite vividly the first day she had shared that apartment with Naruto, and all the humorous yet profoundly embarrassing moments the two of them had shared.

They had never been close, but after all those days, Hinata could say that Naruto now meant even more to her than before. It really did not matter if Naruto did not think the same way as her; for Hinata, the fact that she had been able to live with the boy she loved and admired for so long was a blessing.

"_Hinata-sama?"_ Neji called out from outside, and the young woman glanced over her shoulder before she focused her attention on the interior of her bedroom again.

With a faint smile now gracing her pale face, Hinata increased her grip on her bag before she walked out of her bedroom. Instead of rushing to the front door of the house, however, Hinata stopped by the door that lead to Naruto's bedroom.

She was indeed extremely thankful for having had the chance to deepen her and Naruto's bond throughout the previous month.

Timidly, Hinata raised her left hand towards the door that lead to Naruto's bedroom, but stopped herself from touching it. Instead, Hinata just continued staring at the door, her faint smile never waning.

"Sayonara," Hinata whispered as she unhurriedly dropped her hand, "Naruto-kun."

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

Alright, so some of you were interested in the idea of me adding information about Fuzen Hana while others said they would be happier if the information came along with the story. Very well, so this is what we'll be doing; if you have any doubts, write them down in your reviews, and I'll leave the answer in the reply I'll eventually send you. Also, for those who haven't read my biography (not that I'm telling you to read it, mind you), I can tell you right away that I have some pictures of my _Naruto_ Original Character. They are not one hundred percent accurate, but they are still good enough to give you an idea about how my characters look like. If you're interested in seeing them, just let me know.

* * *

_**Note: **_I am going to leave a message here for those who are about to bite my head off for dragging this story for so long (and I take this chance to apologize if I sound too rude). If you came here expecting to see Naruto and Hinata falling for each other in a two chapters, to get married in five, to have children in six and to live happily ever after in less than ten chapters, then I must tell you that you are reading the wrong story, and that you should probably give this story up now.

When I posted the prologue, at the end, I informed everyone I was writing chapter _seventeen_. I think that alone should have been enough to let you know this story was going to be a rather long one. Those who have read other stories of mine are already familiarized with what I usually do, but I shall write it here anyway: I am _not_ a fan of epiphanies. I do not like stories when Naruto is suddenly hit by lighting, and starts seeing Hinata in a whole new light completely from out of the blue. I like to play with their personalities, and I have lots of fun doing that too. So, please, do _not_ demand for me to get Naruto and Hinata together without developing their relationship first because that is not going to happen.

Sorry for the long notes, and once again I'm sorry if I was rude. Thank you for the attention.


	13. The Loneliness in Words

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Aww I'm so happy! Despite of my fears, everyone ended up enjoying the last chapter! It was such a relief when I started receiving positive feedback. In fact, some people even asked me why on earth I was so worried about, and…well, what can I say? I just thought it was not good enough.

But now that that chapter is out of the way, I shall continue with the story. I am going through a complicated time deciding a few things, but hopefully I'll manage to make the right choices.

Oh, and before I forget, I want to leave here my thanks to _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**unique229**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Zandamh**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**7thDaughter**_, _**vnvanman**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**anotamous**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**Saria19**_, _**Iloveanime9493**_, _**The Dreamers of Dreams**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**Negi Atsui**_, _**Dimly**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**bluesakura2143**_, _**lil ramen lover**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_ and _**SilentSinger948**_. Thank you for your constant support and help!

* * *

**Chapter 12**

_The Loneliness in Words_

"Okay, so wish me luck!"

"Good luck!" Hana pretty much shouted as she watched her cousin turn around, and run away as fast as he could. Ever since the return of Uchiha Sasuke had been announced, Akimichi Choji had started feeling even more insecure and uncertain about what he should do next. After all, it was no secret that Yamanaka Ino had once hold a crush on Sasuke, and even though they were one step away from making their relationship official, Choji simply could not help but feel self-conscious.

He had actually spent the whole lunch hour speaking about Ino and Sasuke, and about how preoccupied he was of Ino forgetting all about him in order to go after the Uchiha. Personally, Hana doubted Ino would ever do that. Regardless of what the blonde could have felt in the past, those feelings were buried. Besides, Ino was not going to be the first or the last engaged woman who would label Uchiha Sasuke as a god.

After glancing at the corner Choji had used to disappear, Hana crossed her arms against her chest, and turned around in direction of the hospital. She just hoped that Ino would indeed realize how lucky she was for having Choji as her boyfriend, and that she would not do anything stupid.

Hana would hate to see her cousin heartbroken just because of a childhood crush.

"Oh! Hana-san!"

The brunette looked to her side only to stop walking when she recognized who had called out for her. For a moment, she just watched as the tall young man approached her, with a small smile on his face. There was something different about him that day, but Hana simply could not point out what.

"Konnichiwa, Lee-san," Hana greeted with a small bow that the young man returned as soon as he reached her side, "Are you on your way to training?"

"Actually, I was hoping you could check something for me." Lee started, looking a bit uncomfortable, but before Hana could ask about what was going on, he raised his right hand. Had she not seen worst injuries, Hana probably would have gasped.

"Lee-san!" was all that left the girl's lips as she gently grasped Lee's hand, and observed the horrible wound on his fingers. Some skin had been ripped off his knuckles, while the skin around the wound was already turning a ghastly shade of purple. Even the bandage around the hand had not survived; instead, it was already falling off, completely stained with blood.

"Hum…sorry about that, I just needed to release some energy." Lee apologized as he rested his left hand on the back of his head, and let out a nervous laugh. Hana raised her eyes to gaze sternly at him before she continued examining the wound. "Do you mind taking care of it?"

Hana spent a few more seconds observing the wound before she let out a sigh, her fingers still wrapped around Lee's hand and wrist. While at the beginning she could not point out why Lee looked different, she now had no doubt, and to be honest she did not like what Lee was doing to himself.

"There are other ways of releasing stamina without hurting yourself." Hana scolded as she let go off Lee's hand, and the boy blinked at her words before nodding as a reflex. "Honestly, I understand you may be mad at the fact that Sasuke-san's back, but you don't have to hurt yourself."

"H-How…?"

"Lee-san, please, we have been friends for almost two years now. It would be strange if I didn't notice what's going on, don't you think?" Hana interrupted him, knowing fully well what he was about to ask, and Lee heaved a sigh as he dropped his head.

"I guess…"

"But yes, I can help you. As if I can say _no_ to you…" Hana continued, and Lee raised his head again, his lips separating as he got ready to speak. The voice that echoed through the street, however, was not Lee's.

"Fuzzy Eyebrows!"

"Naruto-kun?" Lee asked in confusion as he looked over his shoulder only to see a familiar blond haired ninja rushing at full speed towards him. The concerned expression on Naruto's face did not go unnoticed by Hana or Lee. "Naruto-kun, did something happen?"

"Actually, I want to talk to her." Naruto panted as he pointed at Hana, who blinked at his straightforwardness while Lee titled his head to the side in confusion. Without even blinking, Naruto turned to Hana, "Listen, have you seen Hinata?"

"Hina-chan?"

"You see, I went home, after spending the afternoon at the hospital with Sakura-chan, but then I noticed that everything was empty." Naruto continued at full speed, and then he shook his head, "Actually, I didn't notice right away that Hinata wasn't home. I first noticed she had prepared some food, I ate it, and then I started feeling quite uneasy because everything was so quiet."

Hana glanced at Lee when Naruto paused to take a deep breath.

Hinata was not at home?

"It was then that I decided to go see if Hinata was in her bedroom or in the bathroom." Naruto proceeded still in the same tone of voice, "When I didn't find her, I went to the kitchen again, and it was then that I noticed an envelope on the counter with money inside. It's Hinata's share to pay the monthly rent. That's when I thought something was wrong, and decided to try to find her."

"O-Oh!" Hana exclaimed when she noticed that Naruto was now staring at her, waiting for her to say something. "I-I…well, I hum…I haven't spoken to Hina-chan today, but hum…perhaps she…"

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I saw Hinata-san entering in the Hyuuga Compound with Neji a few minutes ago." Lee spoke up all of a sudden, and both Hana and Naruto turned to him. "She was carrying a bag, which I found weird because she was with us when Hokage-sama announced that Sasuke-kun was in Konohagakure."

Hana widened her eyes in shock at those words while Naruto scratched the back of his head, obviously not grasping the seriousness of the situation. If Hinata had indeed returned to the Hyuuga Compound than that could only mean one thing, and by the way Naruto was behaving, Hana knew that Hinata had left without explaining anything.

"Hinata wouldn't go back to her house without telling me, would she?"

Hana mentally winced at that question. The look on Naruto's face was one of abandonment, almost of a child who was begging for someone to tell him that his parents would not leave without him much less without saying goodbye.

"Maybe she just went to grab a few things that she needed..."

Oh Hinata, your intentions were so compassionate and loving, and yet the consequences were so destructive.

"Naruto-kun…" Hana started before she could stop herself, but when a pair of cerulean blue eyes found hers, she stopped. What could she say? How should she say it? "Hum…I think that perhaps you should wait for a while, and see if Hina-chan contacts you. If she doesn't then…maybe you should try seeking for a way to contact her yourself."

"Eh? Did something happen that I wasn't told of?" Naruto inquired with a frown now on his face, and Hana felt nervousness built up at the bottom of her stomach as she struggled to come up with something to say.

"Naruto-kun…even if Hina-chan has something to tell you…" Hana started slowly, trying desperately not to say something wrong, "And I mean _if_, then you should wait until she contacts you."

"You really can't tell me what's going on?" Naruto asked, and Hana hesitated a second before she shook her head. "Man…at least answer this; is it serious? Was it something I did?"

"I can assure you it has nothing to do with you." Hana answered, and she then thought about what she had just said. Well, that was no lie; Naruto was only indirectly connected with what was going on due to his amity with Sasuke. "But like I said, I think you should wait, Naruto-kun. I'm sure you'll understand what's going on sooner or later."

Hana just hoped that it would not be through the most malicious way…

* * *

"I do not want to hear any explanations."

Hinata recoiled at the cold tone her father had used to address to her, and she quickly sat down on her legs, nervousness making her shake slightly. Hopefully her father would not notice her uneasiness, but then again, since when did something pass unnoticed by Hyuuga Hiashi?

"I do not want to know where you were for the past month nor do I want to know with who you were." Hiashi continued, and Hinata dropped her head in humiliation. It was so painfully clear what her father thought of her now that Hinata did not even have the courage to raise her eyes. "However, I do hope for your own sake that you have not disgraced our family's name."

"No, father," Hinata answered a tad too quickly for her own ears, but she mentally congratulated herself for not stuttering. Had she stammered or quivered under her father's penetrating gaze, she would have only given reasons for her father to question her conduct. "I have done nothing to bring shame to our Clan."

There was a moment of silence, and Hinata closed her eyes. She knew there was no reason for her father to believe in her; she had spent a month away from home after running away without one single word. She was aware that her father had all the reasons to request for someone to examine her, and make sure that nothing had happened that could affect the Clan's influence.

And yet her father did not approach that subject any longer.

"I have arranged a meeting for this evening, and you shall be present." Hiashi stated, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat, "I will not postpone this reunion any longer. You shall be dressed in a kimono, and behave like I expect you to act. Also, although I find this unimportant to mention, you must remember you are only to speak when spoken to."

Hinata bowed at that, her eyes never leaving the tatami in front of her knees. The truth was that she wanted to speak up; she wanted to tell her father that she did not want to be present in that meeting or in any other that could take place in the future. She was not stupid; she was aware that the assembly would have her marriage of convenience as main topic, and Sasuke was most likely going to be present as well.

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan also wanted to say that she was not interested in Uchiha Sasuke, and that he was clearly not interested in her either. Hinata truly wanted to part her lips, and confess to her father that her heart had already chosen someone…

…Someone he did not approve of.

"Also, the marriage will take place next year." Hiashi announced, and Hinata timidly and hesitantly raised her eyes to glance at her father only to look down when their eyes met. "Uchiha Sasuke has already turned eighteen, but we must wait until December 27th, the day when you'll turn eighteen as well."

That explained why her father had kept the so-called prophecy a secret for so long.

"Father…" Hinata started before she could stop herself, and Hiashi narrowed his eyes slightly at her low and wavering voice. Instinctively, the girl lowered her head even more before she continued, "May I inquire what will happen to Hanabi-san if the marriage…after the marriage?"

Hinata had managed to stop herself on time. Had she finished that question with an _if _things would have given a one hundred eighty degrees turn and end up pretty badly.

"When you marry Uchiha Sasuke, you will become his wife, and therefore you shall focus solemnly in aiding him to rebuild his Clan." Hiashi started, and Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat. "You will keep a close contact with the Hyuuga Clan, but you shall no longer be the Head of our family. That duty will pass on to Hanabi. That will only be changed if we find you inadequate to become the wife of the Uchiha."

In other words, would her Clan find her pathetic, Hanabi would take her place while she would in all probability become the Head of the Hyuuga Clan…or at least that was what Hinata believed in.

"However, if we find you inadequate for Uchiha Sasuke, and find you unsatisfactory as the Head of the Hyuuga Clan, you shall be dismissed." Hiashi proceeded, and this time Hinata felt a lump form in her throat while dread conquered her limbs. "But this is thinking too much ahead, and it is not appropriate for us to be thinking of something that presumably will never come true."

For a split of a second '_oh, the irony!' _echoed in Hinata's mind.

"I hope you'll prepare yourself, and be ready to astonish." Hiashi finished his lecture, and Hinata automatically nodded in silent understanding. "Aside from that, I must say I do hope you will not try to run away again. I will not be so benevolent next time, Hinata."

The young woman felt a shiver run up her spine at those words, but she still kept her eyes locked with the tatami in front of her. What could she possibly say that would be powerful enough to stop all that madness? She knew that if she told her father with whom she had been with for the past month he would without question disgrace her, and say that she was not worthy of anything.

But the truth was that Hinata could not use Naruto as a card to escape from that game.

"You're dismissed."

Hinata bowed at those words before she stood up as quickly yet as gracefully as she could. Without sharing one last glance with her father, Hinata hastily approached the door while doing the best she could in order not to draw any suspicion, but she swiftly closed the door as soon as she stepped out of the room.

Without bothering to look around her, Hinata leaned against the wall, and rested her right hand against her chest as she finally noticed her irregular breathing. Her heart was beating amazingly fast as well, and even though she was no longer under her father's gaze, Hinata could not help but continue shaking.

In a desperate attempt to stop trembling, Hinata closed both her hands into tight fists and closed her eyes before she took a long deep breath. Gradually, she breathed out, and mentally thanked heavens when she felt her muscles relaxing. It was terrifying how her father still had such an impact on her.

"Hinata-sama; are you ill?"

"Neji-nii-san," Hinata whispered as she opened her eyes to gaze to her left, and she was not surprised when her eyes meet a pair of pallid orbs. It was almost in slow motion that Hinata straightened up before turning to her cousin, who was watching her every move with extremely watchful eyes, "I am sorry for worrying you. I feel fine."

"I apologize for disagreeing with you, but you do not look all right." Neji opposed, and Hinata looked down at this determined tone, "You do not need to tell me how your conversation with your father went; it is easy to comprehend what the verdict was."

"A-Ah, Neji-nii-san!" Hinata exclaimed when she understood that her cousin was about to turn around, her right hand now extended forward. Silently, Neji looked at her over his shoulder, his face blank as always, "Ano, I…I have a favour to ask you."

"Does it have anything to do with a certain energetic ninja?" Neji questioned without turning around, and despite of the current situation, Hinata went red. When she did not answer, Neji turned to his side, "Hinata-sama, I do not want to be disrespectful, but don't you think that perhaps it is time to let your feelings go?"

"W-What?" Hinata stuttered, and Neji stared at her right in the eye before he crossed his arms against his chest, "I-I… No, I…I just wanted to ask you to…to go see if he's…if he needs anything. I mean…I left so abruptly…I don't want him to have any troubles because of me."

"I assure you he knows how to take care of himself." Neji answered, and once again Hinata lowered her gaze while she involuntarily started twiddling her fingers, "However, if you promise you'll let this subject go, I shall do as you ask. I am sorry, Hinata-sama, but I believe it's for your own good if you stop seeing him at least for a while."

Hinata took a few minutes to answer. She was aware that if anyone assisted their conversation it would seem as if Neji was blackmailing her, but Hinata knew better. She knew he was only trying to protect her the best way he knew.

"If…" Hinata took a deep breath before she timidly looked at Neji in the eye, "If you promise to go see him, and…and make sure he's all right, I…I promise I won't look for him…for a while."

"Very well..." Neji trailed off as he bowed in respect, and Hinata silently watched him walking away until he disappeared into the darkness of the hall. When she was alone, Hinata felt all energy fade away from her legs, and she promptly fell down without bothering to do anything to prevent her fall.

Dear heavens…what was she going to do?

* * *

Sakura let out a sigh as she walked out of the hospital, not noticing the way her short pink tresses were covering her eyes due to the slightly strong wind. She had barely paid attention to her surroundings ever since the beginning of the afternoon although she could not exactly explain why.

Or perhaps she could clarify why on earth she was moving around so absentminded, but Sakura simply refused to voice her thoughts. There was really no point in confessing that she was feeling slightly troubled with Sasuke's return. It was true, she was beyond excited for having him back, but she simply could not help but fear for him.

Everyone in Konohagakure was aware of what had happened in the past…that Sasuke had turned his back to the village to seek for revenge, and that he had almost killed his best friend along the way. It was only natural for the villagers to feel hate towards the Uchiha, and that was exactly why Sakura was so fearful.

Even though Sasuke was powerful, he could not, in any circumstances, act against the village or he would forever be banished.

"Sakura-chan?"

The medical-nin recognized that voice immediately even though she had yet to look over her shoulder. Instead, Sakura noticed that she was a few meters away from Ino's flower-shop before she sensed someone approaching her from behind.

"Hey, Sakura-chan, have you seen Hinata?"

"Don't tell me you scared your flatmate away, Naruto." Sakura commented as she finally turned to her side only to stare at her friend's cerulean blue orbs. For a second, Naruto just stared at her before he shook his head.

"I didn't scare Hinata away, why would I even do that?" he asked, and Sakura heaved a sigh, "Anyway, the thing is that she disappeared this morning. She left her part of the money to pay the rent in an envelope, but she didn't leave a note explaining where she went. At first, I thought she had left for a mission, but I meet with Kiba and Shino a few minutes ago."

"Well, perhaps she had something she needed to take care of." Sakura reasoned with him, "Maybe she didn't find it necessary to tell you she had left. Why don't you go home, and wait for her there? She'll probably return before you know it."

"I don't think she will." Naruto disagreed, and Sakura blinked at his somewhat saddened tone. "You see, Fuzzy Eyebrows told me he saw Hinata entering in the Hyuuga Compound with Neji, and apparently she was carrying a bag."

A bag?

"Oh, I'm sure Hinata-san wouldn't leave without telling you first." Sakura tried to come up with something to say as she turned to her friend, who simply lowered his gaze in dejection. "I mean, we all know what Hinata-san thinks of you, so…"

"What she thinks of me?" Naruto repeated, and Sakura mentally kicked herself before she decided to correct what she had just said.

"I mean…Hinata-san worries about you, even you know that much, so I doubt she would just leave like that." Sakura tried to say as she rested a hand on her hip, "I'm sure she probably just went to visit her family or something. Hinata-san will be back before you know it."

"Yeah, she wouldn't just leave the apartment like that, would she?" Naruto asked as he raised his dark orbs to stare at her, and Sakura nodded with a faint smile on her face. "I mean, we're flatmates, ne? She would tell me if something was going on, right?"

"Yes, I'm sure she would." Sakura agreed, her smile widening a little bit for a second before she returned to her previous expression. In seconds she was the one who was looking miserable while Naruto looked relieved. "Ne, Naruto…did you see Sasuke-kun after the announcement?"

"Sasuke-teme? Err no, I haven't seen him." Naruto answered as he shook his head, and Sakura mentally sighed in tiredness, "But you know, Tsunade-baachan is probably just making sure everything's alright before she lets him wander around without having ANBU watching over him."

"Do you really think they'll leave Sasuke-kun alone soon?" Sakura inquired, sounding a bit too hopeful about the prospect of meeting Sasuke without feeling various pairs of eyes on her, and Naruto shrugged in reply.

"I don't know, but I guess that will happen…eventually." he added, and Sakura nodded in agreement as a reaction. "But don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'm sure Sasuke-teme will make a new appearance sooner or later. I'm sure he missed us as much as we missed him."

"Yeah, I really can't wait for that day." Sakura admitted with a small smile on her lips, and Naruto grinned at her confession before he rested both his hands on his hips.

"You'll see; we'll soon be eating ramen together again with Kakashi-sensei paying our bill."

Sakura's smile widened at that; yes, soon the former Team Seven would be together again, and this time, nothing nor no one was going to be powerful enough to separate them.

**To Be Continued…**


	14. The Locked Contract

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

You know, chapter twenty-three is becoming really troublesome (gotta quote one of my favourite _Naruto_ characters hehe). With a bit of luck I will manage to overcome this little setback; after all, I cannot disappoint my always faithful readers. Anyway, I want to thank everyone for your constant support. Some of you seem to have this story figured out, but watch out; some (hopefully) unexpected twists are around the corner.

So, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Elongation**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**vnvanman**_, _**NiebieskiLis**_, _**SharinganAngel93**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**unique229**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**lil ramen lover**_, _**KnighteWolfe**_ and _**Hektols**_…thank you all for always being there, and for support me. You guys are the best!

Oh, and before I forget, the summary will be changed along with the next chapter. I sure hope you'll enjoy the reason for the modification.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

_The Locked Contract_

Hatake Kakashi looked up from his book when he sensed someone stopping in front of him, and he kept a blank expression on his face when his eyes meet a pair of onyx-black ones. Uchiha Sasuke had changed his clothing, and was now wearing a pair of white shorts and a black t-shirt that had the Uchiha symbol on the back. When he had first seen those clothes at the shop, Kakashi had decided it would be better to buy them; it was not as if people would feel comfortable if he wandered around wearing the clothes that were similar to Orochimaru's.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Kakashi questioned without standing up from the sofa, his right hand holding the book open, but Sasuke said nothing in reply. "You are aware of the consequences, so are you sure you don't want to do something about it?"

"This is only a way to accomplish my goal." Sasuke replied with an empty expression on his face, his eyes never leaving Kakashi's, "The fact I never thought of it as a possibility doesn't change the fact it's still a way for me to achieve my purpose."

"Yes, I just want you to be sure, that's all." Kakashi answered, and he leisurely closed his book before he stood up, "Hopefully you won't end up regretting doing this, because once the contract is sealed there's nothing you can do to unseal it."

"Whatever."

Mentally, Kakashi let out a weary sigh before he put his book inside his pouch. He honestly did not know why he had to be the one to go with Sasuke, and act like his representative. After all, although Sasuke did only speak when he needed to, he certainly knew how to take care of himself, and thus he knew what was proper to do and whatnot.

"I guess it won't be polite to be late." Kakashi commented as he straightened up, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his former teacher's statement. When he saw the young man's expression, Kakashi laughed, "Trust me, those who enjoy living know better than to get late to appointments such as ours."

"Humph."

Without bothering to say something else, Kakashi made his way to the front door of the house, and walked through it, Sasuke silently mimicking his actions. The fact that no noise was coming out from the second floor was the perfect indicator that Naruto was not at home, which meant there was no need to be careful.

Instead, Kakashi decided to behave as if there was nothing he had to worry about. And he was going to act that way at least until they reached their destination.

"Look, look, it's _him_!"

"He came back! He really came back!"

"Mama! Mama! Isn't that Uchiha Sasuke?"

"He really has returned to Konohagakure."

"I wonder what's going to happen now..."

Rumours; it was amazing how they seemed to spread quicker than the wind. Even though they had prepared themselves for it, the truth was that Kakashi believed they had yet to see the hideous side of all that gossip. It did pain him to think that way, but Kakashi was truly convinced that something really bad had yet to occur, concerning not only Uchiha Sasuke but Uzumaki Naruto as well.

Without drawing any attention to himself, Kakashi glanced at the young man that was silently following him. He seemed to be ignoring everyone around him, including the whispered words that were accompanying them like undetected shadows.

"Sasuke," Kakashi called out when he noticed they were getting closer to their destination, and his former student turned his eyes in his direction, "I hope you don't forget to talk to Sakura and Naruto. They have been dying to be with you ever since they found out you were coming."

"Humph."

"I'm serious." Kakashi pressed the matter before he looked over his shoulder, and stared at Sasuke right in the eye, "They deserve to know what's going on, especially if you accept to go forth with this. I'll arrange a meeting between the three of you when this is over."

"…Fine."

It was curious, but Kakashi had noticed the speck of hesitation in that single word.

As he mentally shook his head, Kakashi stared at the path ahead of him, and observed as the Hyuuga Compound came into view. That was the moment when anything could happen. That was the time when both Sasuke and Hinata would be able to voice their deepest thoughts, and perhaps, just perhaps, change their faith.

"I hope you're ready," Kakashi said as he stopped by the gate, Sasuke now on his side, "because if you step inside that mansion, you won't be able to leave until the contract is either sealed or broken."

Sasuke simply nodded in silent understanding, and Kakashi stared at him one last time before he opened the gate. A member of the Hyuuga Clan immediately came to welcome them before leading them towards the room where Hyuuga Hiashi was.

A penetrating silence started taunting them on the same second they stepped inside the room where Hiashi was expecting them. Candles brought light to that place for they had been placed in strategic points while Hiashi was sitting on the floor, on his legs, an impassive mask on his face.

Kakashi bowed in respect, and Sasuke quickly did the same before the two of them sat down, also on their legs. Hinata was not present, but it was obvious that she ought to appear soon; that meeting was going to decide her future after all.

"I apologize for my daughter's delay." was the first thing Hiashi said after nodding in acknowledgement, the expression on his face never quivering, "Shall we wait for her before we begin the discussion?"

"We don't mind waiting." Kakashi replied, and Hiashi glanced at him before he stared at Sasuke, their eyes locking instantaneously. Seconds later, the shoji behind Kakashi was gently pushed aside, and the three men inside the room stared at the doorway only to observe as a shadow appeared on the floor.

Timidly, Hinata emerged from the hallway, wearing a stunning _furisode_, with an interesting shade of black with the pattern of mums accented in gold embroidery, and such golden colour matched with the girl's under kimono and obi. The sleeves were admirably long, reaching the girl's ankles. The shade of the kimono contrasted greatly with the girl's pallid skin, making her look delicate and dazzling.

"Konbanwa, Kakashi-san. Konbanwa, Sasuke-kun." Hinata greeted in her low voice as she bowed in respect, her hands clasped in front of her legs. "I apologize for being late."

"Hinata," Hiashi spoke up in his authoritative tone, but the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan kept her head down as she waited for her father to continue, "Come. Sit down. We have already lost too much time."

Hinata nodded at those words before she made her way to her father's side. Elegantly yet as quickly as she could, the young woman sat down on her legs, her hands resting on her lap while her eyes continued locked with the floor. Then, Hiashi stared at his guests, and parted his lips to speak.

"It is time."

There was unquestionably no turning back.

* * *

Ino drummed her fingers against the hard surface of the table as she tried to ignore the way Choji was wolfing down his food. Sure, she was more than used to the way he swallowed everything he would shove inside his mouth without chewing properly, but on that day Ino was simply not very interested in what was occurring around her.

Instead, Ino could not help but recall over and over again the moment when Uchiha Sasuke had appeared in the terrace. Not only would that event often flash in the back of her mind, but Ino would also remember the way Haruno Sakura had started behaving ever since that had happened.

No matter how hard she tried to think about it, Ino simply could not find one single reason that could explain why Sakura was behaving so gloomily lately. Sasuke was back! That fact alone should be capable of making Sakura fly to the ninth cloud, and yet instead of being beyond excited about what was going on, Sakura continuously sighed in the corners.

Now, as Sakura's archenemy, Ino simply could not stand the girl's behaviour. Ino just felt like walking to Sakura's side, and punch her as hard as she could. After all, the way Sakura was acting now it was almost as if she did not want to approach Sasuke anymore, and thus make all of their past fights seem worthless.

And Ino had certainly not cut her hair off back when she was twelve for nothing.

But then again, what could she do to make Sakura return to her old self? A fight was absolutely out of the question, but Ino knew she had to do something to trigger Sakura's protectiveness over Sasuke.

But what exactly could she do?

"Huh? Ino?" Choji called out all of a sudden with his mouth full, and the medical-nin snapped from her reverie to glance at him. "Is there something wrong? You haven't even touched your food. Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about some stuff related to the hospital." Ino answered, conscious that she was not exactly lying to him, and Choji slowly chewed on his food for a second before he swallowed it

"You really shouldn't think so much about work." he pointed out without putting his bowl of rice down, "That will only cause more pressure, and you really don't need to be any more stressed than you're already are."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ino inquired as she raised an eyebrow, and Choji glanced down at his food before he let out a sigh.

"I'm just worried about you, that's all." he mumbled, and Ino blinked at his confession before looking away. That was one of the things that annoyed her in Choji; he was too honest and too kind for his own good. True, it had taken her a long while to notice those positive traits of his, but now that she had, Ino simply could not help but feel touched by them, and that bothered her.

Not even Sasuke had managed to make her feel that way…like she was special.

Suddenly, a conversation she had shared with Sakura in the past popped in Ino's mind, and the girl widened her eyes in realization. That was it! She was going to try to bother Sakura by hitting on Sasuke! Sakura had never dealt well with all the girls that had tried to catch Sasuke's attention, and that tendency of hers probably had yet to be changed.

"That's it!" Ino exclaimed as she continued to form the plan in her mind, her eyes staring at a spot above Choji's head. A wide smile suddenly graced her features, and Ino immediately stood up from her chair. "Yes! That's it!"

"Err…Ino?"

"Choji, I'm sorry but I have to run!" Ino continued, still in the same excited tone, and the young man blinked at her enthusiasm. "I promise I'll pay the bill next time, but please take care of this one. We'll meet tomorrow or something."

"O-Okay…" Choji started to say, but before he could finish his sentence, Ino was already rushing out of the restaurant. When silence started settling inside the barbecue house, Choji gazed at his bowl of rice before putting it down on the table, a saddened expression on his face.

For the first time in his life, food did not look appetizing.

* * *

_This speaks of a marriage of convenience between the most powerful clans. And after a long time meditating about the information contained in this parchment, the Head Family has come to realize that it speaks of a union between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan._

The parchment spoke of a marriage of convenience between the most influential and authoritative Clans of Konohagakure, and no one dared to modify that statement. However, it was supposed to be a marriage between heirs, but since the successor of the Uchiha Clan was no longer among the living, that job had passed on to the second child.

And thus it had been decided that the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, Hinata, and the second heir of the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke, were to wed when both were eighteen years old. At the moment, only Sasuke was off age, which meant they would have to wait until the next year since Hinata would only turn eighteen in December.

But even though the marriage had already been resolved there was another matter that needed to be taken care of.

Silently and nervously, Hinata raised her eyes a little bit in order to glance at her father without moving her head. Hiashi had only spoken about the matrimony, and about how vital it was for Sasuke to wed his oldest daughter. As she listened to him speak about the wedding in his harsh and superior tone, Hinata looked down again, and closed her hands into loosened fists without removing them from her lap.

Very well, she was going to marry Sasuke in the spring; that had already been established. But then, what was going to happen to the Hyuuga Clan? Was Hanabi really going to be forced to step forward, and become the Head of the family? Hinata simply could not believe her father would be capable of doing that. She was used of being the target of her father's anger and dissatisfaction, which had allowed for Hanabi to wander around through the mansion without having to suffer any sort of reprimand…

However, it was not as if Hinata could interrupt her father's speech, and once again question him about Hanabi. He would most likely glare at her, and order her to keep quiet before focusing his attention on their guests again.

But it was also true that she could not stay quiet, and not ask about the future of the Hyuuga Clan. Perhaps if she kept pressing that matter, her father would accept to ponder more about it…

"Uchiha Sasuke, what do you think of my daughter?"

The question caught Hinata completely off-guard. What did Sasuke think of her? That question was absolutely inconceivable! After all, if there were two people in Rookie 9 who had never shared more than a couple of words those would be Sasuke and Hinata. They had never bothered to befriend each other; they simply acknowledged one another.

Other than that they really had no problem behaving as if the other did not exist.

"The union between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan will bring many positive aspects to the village." Sasuke answered with a blank expression on his face, and Hinata had to force herself to keep her eyes locked with her knees. "As for Hinata-san…I am sure she will be a good wife."

A good wife… No one had ever told her that with exception of Naruto. In fact, Hinata was surprised when her heart did not even skip a beat when Sasuke had uttered those words. Whenever Naruto commented that she was going to be a good companion, she would always feel embarrassed and inhibited.

But the fact her heart had not even quiver at Sasuke's words simply revealed that their matrimony was probably never going to work.

"Hinata, would you like to say a few words?"

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan gently raised her eyes in direction of her father, and her hands grew clammy when she noticed that Hiashi was staring at her. That was the moment when she could ask her father about Hanabi…that was the opportunity she was looking for to confess that she was not interested in that marriage of convenience…

"No, father," Hinata answered in a soft voice before she looked down at her knees again, ashamed of her own actions. When she noticed that she was just about to start twiddling her fingers, Hinata closed her hands into loosened fists again, and silently breathed in a desperate attempt to calm herself down.

Even though she did want to speak up, Hinata felt that such topics were not proper to be mentioned in that situation. She would speak to her father about Hanabi, but she needed to do it in private. Even though she was aware her father would probably dismiss her in a matter of seconds, Hinata knew she had to give it another try for the sake of her younger sister.

"Very well, this contract has been verbally sealed." Hiashi proceeded as he stared at both Kakashi and Sasuke, "Later on, I shall have the agreement written down, and I'll ask a member of the Hyuuga Family to go visit you, Uchiha Sasuke. After we have yours and Hinata's signatures, we shall choose the date for the wedding ceremony. Hatake Kakashi, do not forget you must be present when Uchiha Sasuke signs the agreement."

"Don't worry, Hyuuga-san, I will be there." Kakashi answered as he bowed slightly in respect, and Sasuke silently mimicked his former teacher's actions as well.

When she understood what they were doing, Hinata bowed as well, her father being the last one to do the same. Then, without sharing any other word, both Kakashi and Sasuke stood up, and abandoned the room. Silently and as carefully as she could, Hinata stood up from the floor as well, but before she could give one step, Hiashi turned his eyes towards her.

"Do not disappoint me anymore, Hinata."

The young woman simply bowed in respect, her hands clasped in front of her legs before she left the room. Once outside, after closing the door noiselessly behind her, Hinata took a deep breath, and walked towards the closest window only to stare at the backyard of the Hyuuga Compound.

"_Again!"_

Hinata glanced to the furthest side of the garden at that word, and blinked when she spotted Hanabi sparing with a boy, most likely a member of her team. That was what Hanabi loved to do; she craved for all the opportunities the Hokage would give her to go out on missions, and consequently stay away from home. And Hinata understood that need to be free, and that was why she wanted to make sure her sister had the kind of life she had never been able to have.

But now with the marriage of convenience, Hinata could not help but fear for Hanabi's future.

Gently, Hinata rested her hands on the window's frame, and continued to observe her sister sparing with her teammate. Even though she was scared about the future…even though she was worried about what the tomorrow could bring, Hinata was going to try to make sure her sister suffered the least.

As she felt determination boiling inside of her soul, Hinata raised her eyes, and stared at the sky before she instinctively pressed her right fist against her chest. Yes, she was going to be strong. She was going to protect her sister the best she could, and she was going to do it the way she had been taught to.

She was going to do it Uzumaki Naruto's way.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

_**Important Note:**_ _furisode_ is a style of kimono. It is the most formal style of kimono worn by unmarried woman in Japan. The _furisode_ is made of very fine, coloured silk, and is commonly rented or bought by parents for their daughters to wear when celebrating Coming of Age Day the year they turn 20. By wearing a _furisode_, a young woman signifies that she is both single and a legal adult, and thus available for marriage.

I understand that in this story Hinata is still seventeen. This was a mistake from my part, and I only noticed it now. In Japan, the age of majority is 20. I forgot about this, since in Portugal you become a legal adult at the age of 18. However, I hope you can all forgive this mistake; if I was to amend this, I would have to change a few things in the story, and that would probably become rather confusing.

Once again, I apologize for this mistake.


	15. The Solitude of Our Souls

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I want to thank everyone for your constant support and for all of your ideas; _**Hektols**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**Spar7aN**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**SharinganAngel93**_, _**lil ramen lover**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**bumblemark**_, _**hiami spirited**_, _**Iloveanime9493**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Moonfayth**_ and _**jolteonforever**_. I would be lost without you guys.

Also, I want to leave here a special thanks to all those who have read _Confessions of the Heart_. I made a rather stupid mistake in that one-shot concerning Shizune, but I am still happy to know that most people enjoyed it albeit the awful ending. Thank you everyone!

* * *

Okay, here is the **new summary** for _Welcome Home_: It was a mission that led him to Land of Whirlpool. It was a melody that took him to the ruined house. It was a faded photography that triggered his curiosity. It was a forgotten book what guided him to the past.

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_The Solitude of Our Souls_

With a groan, Naruto turned to his left, and pulled the covers over his head when the sunlight coming from the window hit his eyes. He could not believe it was already morning; he had spent most of the night awake, taking care of all paperwork, and waiting for Hinata. Well, in truth, Naruto had used all the work he had to take care of as the perfect excuse to use in case Hinata appeared, and noticed that he was still up.

But when the clock revealed that it was almost four in the morning, Naruto had decided that it was time to go sleep. Hopefully, in the morning, Hinata would be back, and he would most likely find her in the kitchen, taking care of their breakfast.

At that thought, Naruto pulled the sheets down, and took a deep breath, but he made a face when he noticed that the fragrance of food had not yet conquered his bedroom. For a long time, Naruto just continued lying down, with the sheets resting on his shoulders before he heaved a sigh.

It seemed that Hinata was not at home.

All of a sudden, the sound of something shattering forced Naruto to practically jump out of his bed before he stood still. Was it just him or that sound had come from the kitchen?

Widening his eyes at his doubt, Naruto did the only thing he could think of. Without even blinking, he swung the door of his bedroom open, and flew towards the kitchen with a wide smile on his face. Maybe Hinata had returned after he had gone to bed?

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted in happiness, but he froze as soon as he reached the door, and stared inside the kitchen. There was indeed a shattered plate lying on the floor, but instead of looking straight at a pair of shy lavender eyes, Naruto stared directly at a white cat. "Eh? What's this?"

"Meow…"

"Ah, you damn cat, what the hell are you doing here?" Naruto asked, ignoring the fact he had left the window of the kitchen slightly opened on the previous day. Then, the young man marched towards the feline, and grabbed it with two fingers before staring at the cat in the eyes, "Where's Hinata?"

"Meow…"

"You really don't know where she is, eh?" Naruto asked, now with a disappointed expression on his face, and he quietly looked at the counter. He had left some leftovers from dinner on a plate, and the cat had probably sensed the aroma of the food, and entered inside the kitchen through the open window. "Listen, I can't keep you here. I don't even know if Hinata likes cats."

Naruto gazed at the cat's dark brown eyes as he spoke the last sentence, and sighed when the cat meowed again. Then, as he cradled the feline in his arms, Naruto turned around, and walked towards the front door of the apartment. After opening it, Naruto gave one step forward before he crouched on the ground.

"Go find food somewhere else." Naruto instructed as he put the cat on the floor, and the animal stared at him for a moment before meowing again. "And be careful. There are people out there who won't mind kicking you out of the way."

After those words, the blonde boy stood up, and walked inside his house before closing the door behind him. With an exhausted sigh, Naruto returned to the kitchen, and started picking up the pieces of the broken plate. He had been an idiot for believing that Hinata would return in less than a day; the fact she had taken everything with her revealed that it was going to take a while until she returned.

With a cheerless expression on his face, Naruto finished picking up the pieces before he made his way towards the garbage. He really did not understand why he was already missing Hinata. He had been used living alone ever since he was little, so this was not supposed to be any different, and yet…

Unconsciously, Naruto rested a hand on the counter, and felt its coldness penetrating his warm skin. Then, he raised his eyes, and observed the kitchen with attentive eyes; now that he was thinking about it, Hinata did seem to enjoy spending most of her time in that room. The fact she cooked mouth-watering food proved that she was interested in the art of cooking, and Naruto could not help but stare at the fridge as he recalled all the delicious meals Hinata had prepared for them.

He wondered how long he would have to wait until he was able to taste Hinata's cooking again…

A knock crushed the silence that had conquered the whole house, and Naruto focused his attention on the door of the kitchen as he felt his heart skip a beat. Could it be…?

"Hinata?" Naruto asked as he rushed towards the front door, and hastily opened it only to feel his heart drop when his eyes met a pair of lavender orbs that belonged to Hyuuga Neji. "Oh, it's you…"

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Neji commented as he stared at Naruto's clothing, and the blonde boy stared down as well only to finally realize he was still wearing his pajamas. Then, he stared at the newcomer, and shrugged.

"No, I was just cleaning." Naruto answered before he stepped backwards, "Do you want to come in? I just need a couple of minutes to get changed. You can go to the living-room if you want."

Without bothering to wait for an answer, Naruto turned around, and went to his bedroom. He barely paid attention to the closing of the front door as he got dressed, but when he returned to the living-room, now fully clothed, Naruto saw Neji standing in the middle of the room. The Hyuuga still carried himself with pride, Naruto quickly noticed as he walked around the sofa.

"So, what's going on?" Naruto decided to ask, and Neji finally looked away from a wall to stare at him. "Did something happen? Does Tsunade-baachan want to see me?"

"I am not the Hokage's messenger, Uzumaki." Neji answered immediately, his arms crossed against his chest, and Naruto quickly mumbled an apology. "I am here because Hinata-sama asked me to come visit you, and make sure you're all right."

Naruto ignored the way his heart had skipped a beat at those words.

"Hinata asked you to come here?" he repeated, and Neji faintly nodded in reply, "How is she? Why did she leave without telling me anything? When is she going to return?"

"Uzumaki, Hinata-sama asked for me to come and see if you're alright; I have no reasons to answer those questions." Neji replied still in the same tone, his face completely emotionless, and Naruto closed his hand into a fist as a reflex, "However, she left because it she could no longer pretend to be someone she was not."

"Eh? What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Naruto inquired, but Neji simply continued staring at him, "When was she pretending to be someone she wasn't? She was the Hinata I've known since day one! So tell me what on earth is going on!"

"That is not my job." Neji replied instantaneously, and Naruto felt anger bubbling inside of him, "When the right time comes, you will know why Hinata-sama had to leave you. I just hope you'll understand her reasons when that day arrives."

"Oi!" Naruto shouted when Neji walked past him in direction of the door, and he quickly rested a hand on Neji's shoulder. "What the hell is going on? I know Hinata would never leave me like this if she didn't have a reason, but heck I'm her flat mate! I want to know why she left! Does this have anything to do with your Clan?"

"Naruto, I advise you to let go off me." Neji warned without looking behind him, but the blonde boy did not lower his hand. "I already told you; you will find out why Hinata-sama left when time's right. Until then, if you care for her, you shall not look for her. You will let her be, and you'll wait for the day when she'll come to you."

"What the…?"

Swiftly, Neji twirled around, and grasped Naruto's wrist, his narrowed eyes finding a pair of blue orbs straight away. For a moment, the two young men just stared at each other until Neji let go off Naruto.

"I only came here because Hinata-sama asked me to." Neji repeated, "I can see you're fine, and that's exactly what I'm going to tell her. Hinata-sama simply does not want you to get into trouble just because she isn't here."

With that said, Neji walked out of the living-room, and Naruto stared at some random spot on the wall in front of him. There was something going on, and he was going to find out what. He really did not like thinking about the possibility of the Hyuuga Clan being involved in Hinata's departure, but unfortunately, that was an idea that Naruto simply could not put aside.

"Hey, Neji!" the blonde called out as he rushed to the front door in time to see the member of the Hyuuga Clan stepping outside. When Neji looked at him with an irritated mask on his face, Naruto smirked, and pointed a finger at him. "Tell Hinata that I'm alright. And since you're at it, let her know that I'm not going to rest until I find out what's going on around here!"

And that was a promise that Uzumaki Naruto intended to keep.

* * *

Shikamaru leisurely finished the shogi game before he gazed at the sky, and noticed the clouds. He had actually missed that spot on top of the building. And to think he used to go there many times during his adolescence. It was really a pity he had missed many opportunities to return to that terrace.

Without bothering to put the board game away, Shikamaru laid down on the bench, hands resting behind his neck. As usual, his eyes were locked with the clouds, his mind thinking of nothing in particular.

"Shishi!" a little voice called out all of a sudden and Shikamaru blinked at the familiar nickname. Quickly, he sat up on the bench, and blinked again at the scene that was being displayed in front of him.

Walking towards him, holding a pair of small and chubby hands, was non-other than Fuzen Hana herself. In front of the medical-nin, walking a bit shakily most likely for being trying to run faster than she could was a little girl with shoulder-length dark brown hair. Her round crimson red eyes were sparkling with joy while laughter escaped from her lips.

She really was going to be a stunning girl when she got older.

"Shishi!" the little girl called again, and Shikamaru crouched down on the floor, and extended his hands forward, towards the little girl. After sharing a quick look with Hana, the medical-nin let go off the girl's hands, and the infant unsteadily made her way towards Shikamaru.

"Shishi!" the little girl laughed when Shikamaru hugged her before standing up, and she promptly started touching his face with her chubby hands, "Shishi! Hello!"

"Hello, Kioko." the young man greeted back as he allowed for the little girl to continue touching his face before she decided to have fun with his hair. Then, he looked at Hana, "What's going on?"

"Oh, Kurenai-san is downstairs, talking to Mesi-san. She told me you were here, and asked if I minded bringing Kioko-chan to see you." Hana explained as she approached him, and she giggled when Kioko unexpectedly kissed Shikamaru on the cheek. "Apparently, she really likes you."

"Yeah, she thinks I'm her older brother or something." Shikamaru answered before he sat down on the bench so that Kioko could sit on his lap. Then, he handed her a piece of his shogi before motioning for Hana to sit down next to him. "I'm just happy we actually get along."

"Don't tell me you thought about the possibility of not getting along with Kioko-chan?" Hana asked, but the young man knew that was a rhetorical question. "Of course she likes you! Kurenai-san once told me how you try to go visit them at least three times a week, even when you're busy. She told me you're always watching over them, but especially Kioko-chan. It's understandable why she sees you as her older brother."

"Here you go…" Shikamaru mumbled as he helped Kioko to stand up on the floor, "Well, I am just doing the best I can to keep my promise to Asuma. I want to make sure Kurenai and Kioko know that I'm here no matter what, and that I'm not leaving."

"You know, Kurenai-san also told me once that you'll be a great father someday." Hana commented unexpectedly, and Shikamaru looked away from Kioko to glance at her. On contrary of him, Hana was still staring at the little girl in front of them. "And I agree with her."

"Tsk, don't you women have better things to do other than to talk about me?" Shikamaru complained as he looked at Kioko again, and Hana let out a light laugh, "Talk about whatever you women like to gossip about. Stop mentioning me in your conversations."

"Aw c'mon Shishi, you know we're incapable of talking bad about you." the medical-nin laughed before she rested a hand on Shikamaru's arm, "Besides, Kurenai-san was just pointing out the obvious. There's no need for you to be embarrassed."

"Man, who said anything about being embarrassed?" Shikamaru grunted as he looked down at Kioko, and faintly smiled as he watched her wandering around while playing with the piece of shogi he had given her. At the silence, Hana glanced at the little girl as well, and rested her elbows on her legs before she rested her chin on her hands.

For a long time, the two of them just watched as Kioko amused herself by playing with the small piece of wood. She was walking around, occasionally falling on her bum only to stand up after laughing cutely at her actions.

Silently, Shikamaru glanced at the medical-nin sitting next to him, who was observing Kioko with a smile on her face. Her long hair was covering most of her face, mostly because Hana had not bothered to lock it behind her ears, but Shikamaru did not mind. He could see her watchful eyes and her smile, and that was all that mattered.

"When is Temari-san going to arrive?" Hana questioned all of a sudden, and Shikamaru promptly looked at Kioko while the medical-nin glanced sideways at him. "The Chunin Exams are getting closer, ne? She'll probably arrive really soon."

"Why do we always end up talking about that troublesome woman?" Shikamaru sighed as he rested his elbows on his knees, but Hana simply focused her attention on Kioko. "I don't know when she's coming; I think she'll be here by the end of the week or something."

"Oh."

Strangely, after those words, there was only silence. Both Shikamaru and Hana were observing as Kioko finally finished wandering around through the terrace as she turned to them, and smiled widely. Then, as wobbly and as hasty as she could, the little girl started making her way towards them.

"Shishi!" Kioko laughed as she raised her arms forward, and Shikamaru smiled at her antics before he extended his arms as well. Instead of going to him, however, Kioko abruptly turned to Hana, who picked her up instantaneously, "Hana! Nana!"

"Honestly, she calls me Shishi all the time, and yet she calls you by your name." Shikamaru complained as he turned his torso so that he could gaze at the two girls. When Hana unexpectedly started tickling Kioko, causing the little girl to laugh as loudly as she could, the young man decided to stay quiet and observe the scene in front of him.

He wondered if Hana had noticed the fragrance of gardenias that was hovering around them…

"Well, I better go see if Kurenai-san has finished her conversation with Mesi-san." Hana announced as she stopped tickling Kioko, who continued giggling, and holding the piece of shogi against her chin. "Sorry for interrupting your game."

"Don't worry about it." Shikamaru answered before he moved forward, and patted Kioko on top of her head. "And you better be good to your mother, alright?"

"Mama!" Kioko exclaimed as she started revealing more of her energy, and Hana laughed before she cradled the little girl in her arms. Slowly, she stood up from the bench, and turned to Shikamaru at same time she took the wooden piece from Kioko's hand, and handed it to him.

"I'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye." was all Shikamaru said in return as he waved in goodbye, and Kioko energetically waved back at him while Hana pressed the infant tenderly against her chest. Then, Hana smiled one last time at Shikamaru before she turned around, and walked towards the stairs.

As he watched Hana starting to climb down the stairs, he observed the way she was holding Kioko against her chest, and mentally sighed. When he was finally alone, he lay down on the bench again, and stared at the clouds.

He wondered if Hana had noticed that one day she would be a great mother as well.

* * *

Gently, Tsunade rested the tip of her fingers against the cold and hard surface of the Memorial Stone. Her eyes gradually scanned the surface of the monument, finding the most familiar names in a matter of seconds.

She could almost say that her life had been printed in that stone.

All those who made part of her memories were already enjoying the eternal and painless sleep, while she was being tormented by a moment that just seemed never to come. How long would she have to wait for the opportunity to reunite with her old friends and family?

How long was she going to have to continue to stay strong, and observe the dawn with authority and optimism?

For how long…?

"I miss you." Tsunade whispered as she gazed at the most familiar names, and her eyes eventually rested on one of the last names she had ordered to print there before the last fight between Sasuke and Naruto. "I miss you, my old friend. I never thought I'd miss listening to your nonsense so much."

A faint and cheerless smile graced the Hokage's face as she continued feeling the coldness of the stone penetrating her warm skin. It was curious; she deeply missed her brother, her lover, and yet the constant nagging of Sannin Jiraiya would always haunt her like a heartbreaking melody.

"Perhaps it is time for me to tell him about his story." Tsunade proceeded as her finger's abandoned her brother's name to go caress Jiraiya's. "I know now that he's going to receive the news with joy despite of the first shock. And afterwards…once he knows about his heritage, I'll finally be able to rest."

A faint breeze started playing with her long hair, carrying green leaves towards the heavens, and Tsunade grasped some of her long locks with her left hand. Unhurriedly, she dropped her right hand, now feeling as the tips of her fingers grew numb, and then her smile widened a little.

"With Uchiha Sasuke back," Tsunade continued to whisper, her eyes never leaving Jiraiya's name, "the following generation will finally be able to take over the present, and take care of the future. And the old tales will fade away until they are nothing more but memories…"

"Tsunade-sama, Shizune told me you had summoned us?"

With one last smile, Tsunade looked away from the Memorial Stone, and gazed at the two Jounin that were standing not too far from her. Yes, she had already decided. It was time to stop hiding the past from Naruto…it was time to finish that book, and start a whole new story.

"Did something happen, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes, and I need your help." Tsunade answered as she turned around so that she was now facing the newcomers, her arms crossed against her chest. "It is time to start preparing everything in order to tell Naruto about his family, and I want you two to help me gathering everything we need."

It was time to give a chance to the will of fire to rule Konohagakure.

**To Be Continued…**

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* * *

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**Q:** Are you going to turn this into a Sasuke x Hinata story?

**A:** I believe you already have checked who the main characters of this story are. In fact, most of my stories are about this couple, which is my favorite character of _Naruto_. In order words, no, this story will not end with Sasuke and Hinata as the main pairing. There will be scenes about those two, but c'mon, have you not noticed that I am building everything around Naruto and Hinata's relationship?

Thank you for the attention.


	16. Tanned Leaves of the Dying Summer

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

O.M.G! _300_ reviews?! (a pause) I finally did it! Ever since I ended _My Happy Ending_, **Beyblade**, the first story I posted under this pen-name that I have been struggling to overcome the number of reviews I received in that story. And now, after four years, I finally did it! And it was all thanks to you guys!

You have been so awesome with me! You have been supporting me non-stop even though the plot of this story is kind of a cliché, and…oh my! I don't even know what to say! I am just so happy I feel like hugging all of you (laughs)! Thank you everyone! All of your help has been precious to me, and I will value it until the end!

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_Tanned Leaves of the Dying Summer_

She had been about to step inside the kitchen, when she recalled that there was no reason for her to cook anymore. Sure, sometimes she would skip inside the kitchen, and cook a few things when no one was around, but the main reason that was now leading her to that side of the house no longer existed.

She was no longer living with Naruto after all.

Noiselessly, Hinata turned around, and made her way towards the backyard. She had been informed that Hanabi was not in the house, and Hinata guessed her sister had most likely left before dawn to go train somewhere with her team mates. Without Hanabi there, Hinata could not help but feel a pang of loneliness in her heart; even Neji was out, probably with his own team mates, and most likely training as well.

It did not take long for Hinata to reach the backyard, and she elegantly stepped into the garden before she looked around. A cold breeze caressed her cheeks seconds later, and the girl unconsciously crossed her arms against her chest. Such gentle wind was the indication that summer was slowly fading away while autumn gradually conquered the land.

Even the trees were already revealing how summer was steadily vanishing. The leaves that had once been of a vibrant green color were progressively turning reddish-brown while the sun offered them an elegant golden flicker.

With a small smile, Hinata looked away from the trees, and gazed at the flowerbed underneath a sakura tree. Purple aster and lavender snapdragons surrounded the trunk of the strong tree, and Hinata made her way towards the flowers. She had once been told that her mother had been the one to plant those flowers. She had also been told that snapdragon meant _strength_ while aster was the symbol of love.

Quietly, Hinata crouched next to the flowers, and caressed the petals of an aster flower. Every time she tried to recall her mother, she would only feel sadness surround her. She had been four years old when her mother had passed away, soon after Hanabi was born.

Hinata remembered her mother's long dark-indigo colored tresses, her pale skin, and gorgeous smile, but for some reason she could not recall the rest of her face. She knew her mother had _Byakugan_, and many people from her Clan infrequently commented how alike she was to her mother…and that was exactly why Hinata could not help but feel melancholic every time she was compared to her mother.

There was no point in talking to her father about her mother. He always managed to escape from the topic, and he never talked about her. Hinata accepted the fact that talking about her mother probably hurt him a lot, but still…

"Okaasan, you…you would have accepted Naruto, ne'" Hinata asked in a whisper as she continued caressing the flowers in front of her, "You would have accepted me, ne? You…you wouldn't allow me to marry Sasuke-kun…ne?"

Soothingly, Hinata lowered her head, and took in the scent of the flowers while long, dark tresses covered her face from the world. Her hand was wrapped around an aster, faintly feeling the smooth touch of the petals against the tip of her fingers.

Yes, she was certain that her mother would have accepted Naruto; that she would be against the marriage of convenience and that… Hinata stared at the lilac flower, and smiled despondently at it; she knew her mother would have accepted her oldest daughter the way she was.

"Hinata-sama…"

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan raised her head at her name, and looked to her side only to stare directly at a familiar face. Her cousin was looking down at her, his face blank as always while his arms were resting on his sides. He looked so authoritative in that position…like a true fighter from the Hyuuga kin.

"Neji-nii-san, did something happen?" Hinata inquired as she stood up from the ground, her hair now falling down her shoulders and back, but the young man simply shook his head.

"I was wondering if you'd like to spar with me." Neji commented all of a sudden, and Hinata blinked at his invitation before she unconsciously started twiddling her fingers. To fight with him was something Hinata had stopped doing many years before for many reasons and yet none at same time. She simply found it hopeless from her part to ask her cousin to spar with her.

"Y-You…want to practice with me?" Hinata asked before she could stop herself, and Neji nodded in silent agreement. "I…I hum…we…"

"I was simply wondering since it has been a while since we've last sparred, and I would be honored if you accepted my invitation." Neji elaborated in his strong voice, and Hinata glanced down for a second only to notice the way she was fidgeting with her fingers. Immediately, she closed her hands into tight fists before she dropped her arms to her sides.

"A-Alright," Hinata finally whispered as she raised her pastel orbs to stare at Neji's, and then a small smile graced her features, "Let's spar together."

* * *

With a small smile, Sakura looked away from the elderly couple she had been observing for the past few seconds, and focused her attention on the reports she had to sign. Quickly, she scribbled her signature at the bottom of the page, but before she could close that file, she felt a presence approach her from behind.

"So, this is what you do when you don't want to think about something, eh?"

"Actually, this is my job." Sakura retorted as she put the first file on the counter in front of her, before she opened a second one, and stared at the list of exams that had been requested for that patient. "And you should be doing yours as well."

"Not my fault you're blocking my way, Big Forehead." Ino pointed out, and Sakura raised her eyes from the report she had been trying to read before she let out a sigh. As she tried to cover up her annoyance, the pink haired girl turned around, and stared at her rival straight in the eye.

"What do you want?" she asked, still holding the small pile of reports with both her hands, and Ino smirked at her tone before she crossed her arms against her chest. "Stop wasting my time. I have to finish these reports and start my round."

"Like I said, you do tend to burry yourself in work when you're trying to ignore something." Ino repeated, the knowing smirk never leaving her lips, and Sakura raised an eyebrow slightly at that, "Just be honest with yourself, and admit it that Sasuke-kun's return is affecting you in more ways than just one."

"What the…?"

"I mean, you were supposed to be glowing right now, and instead you're sighing in the corners when you think no one's watching." Ino swiftly continued, and she rested her hands on her hips, "I never thought this day would come, but since you're obviously not interested in the fact Sasuke-kun is finally in Konohagakure, then I guess I'm free to attack."

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Sakura inquired as she crossed her arms against her chest without releasing the reports, and Ino shook her head.

"You ought to start paying more attention when people talk to you." she reprimanded, "After all, I warned you, didn't I? About me stealing Sasuke-kun from you if you didn't change your behavior? You can't blame me for not giving you a forewarning. I refuse to wait any longer; I am going to attack, and Sasuke-kun will be mine before you know it."

"For heaven's sake, Ino, you're not making any sense." Sakura pointed out as she turned to her side, and put her reports on the counter before she faced her friend again, "You are going out with Choji, aren't you? So why on earth are you so interested in Sasuke-kun? Why can't you just stay with your boyfriend, who, by the way, loves you very much?"

"Once again, I already told you why." Ino grunted, "Sasuke-kun was my first love…the first guy I ever liked so I'm not about to let some pathetic girl, who doesn't even feel comfortable in his presence, have him without a fight."

"What did you just call me?" Sakura asked in a hiss, her eyes narrowing dangerously, but Ino simply rolled her eyes.

"I called you pathetic, Billboard Brow!" Ino exclaimed before she pointed a finger at the other medical-nin, "Because that's exactly what you are! You're an embarrassment to all kunoichi! Instead of being trying to get closer to Sasuke-kun, you're running away from him like a scrawny and vulnerable dog!"

"Don't you dare to lecture me! You don't understand what's going on!" Sakura practically roared, but Ino did not even flinch at the girl's outburst, "You don't know anything so don't you dare to behave as if you know me! Just leave me alone!"

"Oh, don't worry about that, because if you don't change you will be alone, and it won't be because of me!" Ino yelled back, and by now medical-nin and patients were slowly moving away from the two girls, "If you don't do something about your attitude, you'll wake up one day and realize that you're a lonely, pitiable excuse of a ninja, who never had the guts to tell Sasuke-kun that she loved him!"

"What on earth is going on around here?" a third voice exclaimed when Sakura had been about to open her mouth to speak up, and the two medical-nin looked to their sides. Rushing towards them while holding a pink pig on her arms was Shizune, looking quite worried about what was going on. "Did you two forget this is a hospital?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Shizune-san, Sakura and I were just sharing some ideas." Ino apologized with a small smile while the pink haired girl just looked away. "We're sorry about all the commotion. I'll return to my work immediately."

"You two better start working right now before I am forced to go report this to Tsunade-sama." Shizune scolded, and the younger medical-nin winced at that. "I do not want to hear your voices unless you are talking to patients. Other than that make sure this kind of scene never repeats again, did you hear me?"

"Hai." the two girls chorused before they glanced at each other, and they promptly looked away. Shizune let out an exhausted sigh at their antics before she looked down at the pig in her arms; to have Sakura and Ino working together was like having a charge of gunpowder ready to explode.

* * *

_Uchiha Sasuke, what do you think of my daughter?_

A frown appeared on Sasuke's face as he continued to meditate in the middle of his room. It was pointless to admit that he had never pondered about the idea of wedding the Hyuuga heiress. In fact, although reviving his Clan had always been one of his main goals, Sasuke had never bothered to wonder with whom he should accomplish that goal.

No girl had ever caught his attention until that day, and Hyuuga Hinata was no exception. However, it was true that she was the heiress of one of the strongest clans of Konohagakure, and such fact simply could not be overlooked. If he married her, then they would begin a new era…a new generation would eventually spring in the quiet streets of the village, and he would be the Head of the Clan.

Plus, although he did not know Hinata at all, Sasuke could almost say she was the perfect Yamato Nadeshiko; a woman with attributes that were considered traditionally desirable from the perspective of a male dominated society; generally ascribed to people with conventional upbringings. And yes, despite of the few and short moments when the two of them had been in the presence of one another, Sasuke had noticed that Hinata did have the so-called traits of the 'idea Japanese woman', which revolved around acting for the benefit of the family and following instructions or acting in the best interest of patriarchal authority figures.

He guessed that Hinata had also been taught how to be faithful, prudent, modest and faultless in the act of domestic ability.

But still did he care about the fact he did not even know the girl he was going to marry? No.

Did Sasuke wonder about how it would be like after the two of them got married? Simple; he would work to rebuild the Uchiha Compound, and Hinata would take care of their family.

Did Sasuke ever think about what his friends would say about the marriage of convenience? He found that unnecessary. It was easy to predict Sakura's outburst while Naruto would try to comprehend what was going on.

Slowly, his frown disappeared, and Sasuke felt tranquility gently piercing his skin as he continued to drown in the silence. Kakashi was not at home, and Sasuke believed that Mesi would not show up any time soon. Also, since he had yet to hear any noise coming from upstairs, Sasuke guessed that Naruto was also out.

It only took a matter of seconds for Sasuke to become completely unaware of his surroundings. All that mattered was the silence that was hovering around him, and the way all of his thoughts were being buried by the meditation. However, before Sasuke could stop himself, flashes of familiar faces started emerging from the back of his head.

First, there was Hozuki Suigetsu. Sasuke could not help but speculate if Tsunade had ordered for ANBU to lock Suigetsu in a top-security prison without taking him from the special tube that had been made especially for him. Sasuke had been told that the tube was big enough for Suigetsu to be put inside on his full weight while his arms and legs were being held by special chains.

Sasuke wondered if Tsunade had ever thought of the possibility of asking Suigetsu to join their side…

Then, Jugo's face popped in Sasuke's mind, and the young man's frown deepened. Jugo had been killed after he had tried to murder a female ninja. Sasuke had been unable to stop it from happening, and he honestly felt saddened for his friend's passing. Regardless of what people thought of them, Jugo had been part of his team, and his death still affected Sasuke occasionally.

And finally there was Karin, who had been sent to one of Ibiki's secure units. Sasuke honestly did not know what they could be planning to do with her, but he guessed Ibiki had most likely found her dynamic personalities interesting. Other than that, Sasuke had vaguely heard from somewhere that Tsunade was fascinated in observing Karin's ability of healing people by allowing them to bit her and suck on her chakra.

"_Tadaima!"  
_

The footsteps that followed the exclamation were enough to let Sasuke know that it was time to end his meditation. Silently, Sasuke breathed deeply before he gradually exhaled. Before he had the time to stand up from the floor, there was a faint knock on the door, and Sasuke looked over his shoulder.

"Hai."

Leisurely, Kakashi opened the door, and looked inside, but when his eye met Sasuke's, he smiled.

"Oh, you're here. Since the house was so quiet, I wasn't sure about that." Kakashi said as he opened the door wider, but Sasuke simply continued staring at him with a blank expression on his face. "Anyway, you know you're allowed to go outside, right? You don't have to spend your time in here if you don't want to."

"I'll go to the library tomorrow." Sasuke announced before he elegantly stood up from the floor while Kakashi nodded in silent understanding. "Do you need anything?"

"No, not at all; I just came in because I needed to get a new book." as he explained his reason to be in that room, Kakashi made his way towards one of the bookshelves, and promptly took a book from one of the top shelves. "And now I'll be on my way. I need to go see if Naruto's at home; Tsunade-sama wants to talk to him."

"Naruto?" Sasuke repeated, and Kakashi nodded as he turned to his former student, the grin never leaving his face. "Is he leaving for a mission?"

"It seems like it, yes." the Jounin answered as he put the book inside his pouch, and crossed his arms loosely against his chest. "As for you, why don't you go to the library, and start analyzing which is the best way to begin the reconstruction of the Uchiha Compound?"

"Hn."

"Fine, fine, I won't say anything else." Kakashi quickly said, but Sasuke simply continued staring at him with a blank expression on his face, "I'll be on my way then. Sorry for interrupting your meditation. Oh, and when you leave, why don't you go pay Sakura a visit? She spends most of her time at the hospital."

This time, Sasuke did not even bother to reply.

Still grinning, Kakashi waved in silent goodbye, and left the room. When the door was closed, Sasuke raised a hand, and rubbed his now closed eyes. There were so many things he wanted to do, and yet he could not help but grow irritated by the four pairs of eyes that he knew that were watching his every move even inside his bedroom.

* * *

"Say, Kakashi-sensei, what does Tsunade-baachan want this time?" Naruto asked as he walked down the hall next to his quiet former teacher, a suspicious look on his face. "I haven't done anything wrong. I mean…aside from the two reports that I accidentally threw into the fire, I really haven't done anything wrong."

"You threw two reports to the fire?" Kakashi repeated as he turned to the blonde, who nodded, and then he sweatdropped, "Let's not mention that misfortune to the Hokage, alright? I don't think it would be good if the Rukodaime was murdered in cold blood even before he was announced to the village."

Naruto visibly turned white at that thought while Kakashi mentally shook his head.

In a matter of minutes the two ninja reached the door that lead to Tsunade's office, and Naruto felt a shiver run up his spine as Kakashi rested a hand on the doorknob. What if the Godaime had somehow found out about the reports? He really did not fancy the idea of dying especially after everything he had accomplished.

Besides, he still had his dreams!

He was simply too young to die!

"You're late!"

Naruto snapped from his reverie at the angry tone, and he blinked when he realized that Kakashi had already opened the door. Nervously, he walked inside after his former teacher, but when he was just about to apologize for what he had done, Naruto noticed something.

Tsunade was not alone.

"Ah!" Naruto yelled out when his eyes met a pair of familiar pastel lavender orbs, and a wide smile graced his features, "Hinata! It's so great to see you! I've searched everywhere for you!"

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan blushed at the sudden attention as she timidly turned to the newcomer. Without bothering to hide his satisfaction, Naruto rushed to the girl's side, ignoring the fact that two other of his friends were standing in the middle of the room.

"Ne Hinata, when are you coming back?" Naruto asked as he reached the girl's side, "I really miss your cooking. Since you left all I've eaten is ramen and ramen, and you know that's not good for my health, ne? Oh, and do you mind cats? Because a cat has been showing up at the doorstep for a while now, and—"

"Ahem!" Tsunade cleared out her throat, and Naruto blinked at the interruption before he focused his attention on the Hokage, "You dare to come in late, and start talking to Hinata as if nothing is going on? Wait, don't you even bother to answer because I don't even want to know!"

"Ah, Tsunade-baachan, stop being so mean." Naruto answered as he made a face, but the Godaime simply glared at him, "Can't I just be happy for seeing Hinata again? I really did miss her, you know?"

It was pointless to say that Hinata blushed ten shades of red at that.

"Leave your flirting to some other time." this time, Hinata became as red as a tomato while Naruto blinked in confusion. Two chuckles forced the blonde ninja to look to his side, and Naruto widened his eyes when he noticed who was standing slightly behind him.

"Eh? When did you come in?"

"We arrived before you, Naruto-kun." Lee answered with a short nod while Hana looked down in a failed attempt to hide her smile. "Tsunade-sama requested for our presence, and thus we have been here, waiting for you to arrive."

"Eh? What's going on?"

"I would have explained that already if you had kept quiet." Tsunade growled as she continued glaring at Naruto, who turned to her before he let out a nervous laugh. "I requested for your presence because I want the four of you to go out on a mission."

"The four of us?" Lee repeated as he glanced at Hinata, Naruto and Hana before he focused his attention on the Hokage again in time to see her nodding.

"Yes, I want the four of you to go to a forgotten place." Tsunade started to explain, and everyone stared confusedly back at her at those words, "It can be described as a forgotten village, since it no longer exists as an independent entity. Also, it is known that no one has been living in that village for many years."

"Why do we have to go there, then?" Naruto inquired as he raised an eyebrow, but Tsunade did not look at him. Instead, she glanced at the person that was silently leaning against the wall next to the door of the office, reading his book without making any sort of sound.

When Kakashi raised his eye to look back at her, Tsunade gazed at Naruto again, and entwined her fingers in front of her chin.

"You will know what to look for once you get there."

"What is the name of the village?" Lee questioned, and the Hokage glanced one last time at Kakashi before she leaned against the back of her chair. Then, as she rested her eyes on Naruto's form she replied.

"Land of the Whirlpool."

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q:** Although the Chuunin Exams have been mentioned, is Temari going to appear in this story or not?

**A:** Yes, she is. She will show up soon. Just hang on tight.


	17. Goodbye to What Was Once Ours

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

You know what? I am losing all the words to express how happy I am about everything. I must admit I was a tad worried about sending you (the readers) and the characters in a new mission, but you guys really surprised me! The characters clearly did not have a saying in all this, but all of you, my awesome readers, were (if I dare to say it) animated about this new twist.

I really, really hope you will enjoy what I have in store for you. However, for now, I want to leave here a special thanks to: _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**KnighteWolfe**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Duchess Eileen**_, _**uzukun7**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Mikoyasha**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**unique229**_, _**bumblemark**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**ragnrock kyuubi**_, _**Hektols**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**j**__**olteonforever**_, _**SioPao-chan**_ and _**Sandstorm3D**_. You guys rock!

* * *

**Chapter 16**

_Goodbye to What Was Once Ours_

Hana quietly walked out of the greenhouse, holding her pouch in her hands. She had managed to find everything she required for the upcoming mission so all she needed to do now was to prepare her backpack. She had also informed her uncle and aunt about what her departure, but for some reason Hana had found it weird when the two of them shifted awkwardly after she had announced to where she was going.

Both of them wished her luck with smiles on their faces, but Hana had still noticed how uncomfortable they were.

She simply did not know why.

As she shrugged faintly, Hana rested her pouch on her lower back, on the right side. Then, she stared ahead, and continued walking through the streets of Konohagakure. Occasionally she would hear Sasuke's name being whispered, usually followed by Naruto's, but Hana walked past the gossip without worrying about it.

As she walked, Hana raised her eyes, and stared at the sky only to smile faintly when she noticed the clouds. It seemed that Shikamaru was going to enjoy that day since there was a good number of white clouds dancing leisurely with the heavens above.

As she imagined Shikamaru on his favorite spot, watching the clouds, Hana felt as if a weight had fallen upon her heart, and her smile vanished. In a matter of seconds she was no longer looking up, instead, her eyes were locked with the ground, her arms now crossed against her chest while she unconsciously chewed on her lower lip.

It was foolish, and she knew it, but she simply could not help but think about what was going to occur in a few days. Temari from Sunagakure was going to arrive during her absence, and she would with no doubt spend every day with Shikamaru. Hana guessed that if they did things properly, by the time she was back, the two of them would be together already.

And that thought simply depressed her.

"Idiot…" Hana told herself in a whisper, and she pressed her arms even harder against her chest. The weight on her chest kept increasing as she continued with her stroll, and in a matter of minutes Hana felt her vision getting blurred.

When she realized what was going on, the medical-nin stopped walking, and blinked her eyes a few times while she breathed in. Breathe in deeply, exhale slowly. Breathe in deeply, breathe out slowly…

"Oi, Hana!"

As she felt the need to cry dissipate, Hana looked to her side only to feel her heart tightening when she spotted Team 10 approaching her. Choji was waving a hand in the air, a grin on his face while Ino was rolling her eyes at his antics. Shikamaru was the only one who kept his usual facial expression, both his hands stuck inside his pants pockets.

"Ohayo gozaimasu," Hana greeted when the three ninja reached her side, and the corner of her lips curled upwards immediately. Both Ino and Shikamaru greeted her back, the latest one with less enthusiasm, while Choji walked to Hana's side.

"Say, I thought you were going to leave before dawn."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're leaving in an hour." Hana corrected him, the smile never leaving her lips, "I just wanted to go pick some herbs before we left. I'm going to meet with Hina-chan in a few minutes. Naruto-kun and Lee-kun will be waiting for us by the gates."

"You're leaving on a mission?" Ino questioned, and Hana looked at her before nodding, "And Sakura is staying behind?" once again, Hana nodded, but she blinked in confusion when Ino suddenly grinned, "Nice."

"Where are you going?"

Hana slowly turned her head so that she was now gazing at Shikamaru. Strangely, it felt as if gravity was now squeezing her heart with such brutality it was almost unbearable. Why was she behaving like that? It was not as if she had not prepared herself to accept reality…

"To the Land of the Whirlpool," Hana managed to say, and that earned three puzzled looks from all the members of Team 10. When she understood that they were pretty much asking her what she meant through their silence, Hana continued, "It's a ruined village in the south of Land of Fire, a few kilometers away from Land of Water."

"Land of…Whirlpool?" Ino repeated as she blinked, and once again Hana nodded in reply. The member of the Team 10 quickly turned to Shikamaru, a finger against her chin, "I never heard of that Land. Have you?"

"No." Shikamaru answered without looking away from Hana, who struggled to keep up with the eye-contact, "You are going with Hinata, Naruto and Lee, you said? Now that's going to be troublesome. Make sure you never leave Lee's side."

Hana blinked at that.

"Hmm, Choji, you come with me." Ino spoke all of a sudden, and the said boy turned to her in confusion.

"Can you wait a minute? I want to stay with Hana until she leaves." he said, but the blonde medical-nin ignored him as she walked to his side. Without bothering to glance at Hana or Shikamaru, Ino grabbed Choji's wrist, and started pulling him away.

"A-Ah! Ino!" Choji exclaimed as he tried to escape from the girl's strong grip, his eyes locked with Shikamaru's form almost as if he was begging for someone to go rescue him. When no one moved to aid him, Choji decided to shut up, and simply allow for Ino to continue dragging him behind her.

As she smiled at Ino and Choji's connection, Hana continued to watch as the two ninja disappeared in the crowd. She really did hope that one day Choji would have the courage to ask Ino to become his official girlfriend.

"So, you're leaving in one hour?"

Hana looked away from the crowd at the question, and turned to Shikamaru. He looked back at her with an uninterested expression on his face, and Hana nodded slightly in return in reply. At the unspoken reply, Shikamaru let out a sigh.

"Mendokusee…

"Oh, you won't even miss me." Hana started to say in what she hoped to be a teasing tone, and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow slightly at that. "With Temari-san and the preparation for the Chunin Exams you won't even notice I'm gone. Before you know it, I'll be back to annoy you a little bit more."

"Baka."

Hana smiled forlornly at him as she crossed her arms against her chest in discomfort. That was going to be it; that was the moment when she was going to say goodbye to everything. She was going to do the best she could to put an end to all that torment.

"I guess it is time for me to go." Hana announced as she continued pressing her arms against her chest, and Shikamaru stared at her in the eye. "I believe we'll be back in a week, but until then don't be too indolent okay? Everyone needs your help."

"Tsk, don't remind me." Shikamaru mumbled under his breath, and Hana's smile widened faintly at his exasperated tone.

She knew that Temari was not going to allow Shikamaru to be lazy. She was sure that the kunoichi from Sunagakure was going to push Shikamaru as hard as she could...and Hana was positive that Temari would be the best thing that would ever happen in Shikamaru's life.

"I guess this is goodbye then." Hana finally uttered, trying the best she could to ignore the way her heart tightened each time she breathed in, "Take care of yourself, all right?"

"Bah, I should be the one saying that." Shikamaru protested before he sluggishly raised a hand, and waved in goodbye, "But yeah, I'll see you when you get back."

"Yes," Hana agreed as she nodded, and then she mentally took a deep breath, "Goodbye…Shikamaru…"

* * *

Kakashi raised his eyes from the book he was reading, and silently observed what was happening in front of him. Sitting on the sofa across from his was Mesi, talking quietly with Kurenai as she held Kioko in her arms. Occasionally she would fool around with the little girl, who was having fun playing with two toys her mother had handed her moments before.

Kurenai was indeed one of a kind. Even without Asuma, she had refused to terminate the pregnancy when that option was mentioned. She had said that she would give birth and raise the child with pride, and that she would eventually tell her baby all about Asuma. Kurenai was a woman who did not allow people to look down at her; instead, she had grown to become an even more serene and gentle woman.

In a way, Kurenai reminded him of Uzumaki Kushina. Everyone who had met the kunoichi from the Land of Whirlpool had witnessed the changes she had gone through after getting pregnant. The tomboy she had grown to become blossomed into a level-headed and cheerful woman, renowned for her beauty.

Kakashi remembered her perfectly. He recalled her long and silk red tresses, her watchful eyes, and the way she would laugh whenever Minato did something childish. He recalled how warm her laughter was, and of feeling as if a mother was nurturing him every time she talked to him.

Before he knew it, Kakashi was staring at Mesi. On contrary of Kurenai and Kushina, Mesi was still too much of a tomboy. She was easy to talk to, but she was also easy to infuriate, and she did tend to smack him whenever he did something silly. However, it was also easy to embarrass her, and Kakashi did enjoy watching her trying to conceal her awkwardness.

Mesi also had the tendency of hiding the fact she loved to watch over the young ones. She was not a teacher, although she had always wanted to have a team of her own. Instead, she had decided to train, and become a member of ANBU. And she would have become one had she not given in to one certain temptation…

Without drawing any attention to himself, Kakashi raised his hand, and shoved it down the pocket located on the left side of his vest. Quickly he grasped the object he had been looking for, and wrapped his fingers around it. The surface was circular, smooth and rather warm for being inside the pocket.

Kakashi had never pondered much about the possibility of Mesi actually accepting his suggestion, but when he had almost died at the hands of Pain he had decided to give it a try. Not only that, but Asuma's loss had also affected him in more ways than he wanted to admit. All those events had leaded him to think of the future, and about what he wanted to do.

And Mesi's acceptance had led them to where they were at the moment.

When Kurenai unexpectedly looked to him, Kakashi dropped the object he had been holding the entire time before he lowered his hand. With a small smile, the man waved languidly in a silent hello before he grasped the book with both his hands.

"You know, I don't understand why you two decided not to have any children." Kurenai commented all of a sudden, and Kakashi mentally shook his head at that. "I mean, Kakashi did a fantastic job with Team Seven, and in helping Naruto, and Mesi…I know you say you have no patience, but Kioko really likes you."

"Not that again..." Mesi groaned as she made a face, and she looked down at Kioko when the little girl raised her head in confusion. Then, she tapped Kioko on her nose with the tip of her finger, "I am good with other people's children. That's it."

"How can you say that when you haven't had one of your own?" Kurenai asked as she looked at Mesi, and then she focused her attention on her child before she extended her hands towards Kioko. "I keep thanking heavens for allowing me to have my baby girl. I'm sure Asuma is in high spirits as well."

"Kurenai, honestly, drop the subject." Mesi said, and Kakashi glanced at her before he looked down at his book. That had been established quickly after his proposition; Mesi would forget all about her idea to become an ANBU, and they would stay together…just the two of them. Although Kakashi had thought about another plan or two that went against Mesi's decision, he ended up accepting it.

Besides, to have a child at his age would probably be too troublesome.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I have to go." Kakashi declared abruptly as he closed his book, and stood up from the sofa. Swiftly, he put his book inside his pouch before he gazed at the three women who were still on the other sofa, all of them looking at him. "Naruto is leaving on a mission, and I'm going to see him off."

"More like staying in the shadows, and watch him leave." Mesi corrected him as she stared seriously at him, and Kakashi chuckled lightly at her tone. "Don't forget it's your turn to make lunch. And please, don't go buy more instant ramen behind my back."

"Hai, hai." was all Kakashi muttered in reply before he petted Kioko on the head. The little girl giggled, and tried to reach out for the big hand, but before she could touch him, Kakashi lowered his hand, and tickled her on the tummy.

Under Kurenai's laughing eyes, and Mesi's amused expression, Kioko let out a joyful laugh while Kakashi continued to tickle her on the stomach. It was only when the girl's cheeks were turning a nice shade of pink that Kakashi dropped his hand, a smirk on his face.

"Well, I'll see you later." Kakashi announced, and while Kurenai smiled at him, Mesi simply nodded in understanding. Then, after glancing at Kioko one last time, Kakashi turned around, and made his way out of the house.

When he stepped outside, and closed the door behind him, Kakashi stared at the sky, and heaved a sigh. Yes, he was grateful for having the opportunity to be with Mesi even though they did quarrel almost every day, but still, sometimes, in certain occasions, he could not help but wonder how his life would turn out to be if he had offspring.

* * *

She was downright nervous, but then again, she did have reasons to be a nervous wreck.

Automatically, she started twiddling her fingers, her eyes locked with her feet as she waited for someone to arrive. Even though they had spent a month together, she really did hope that Naruto was not going to be the first one to arrive. After their last meeting at Tsunade's office that she simply did not know what to say or do.

Naruto had asked her when she was going to return, and she had been unable to answer that question. And he had looked so happy for seeing her again while she had felt her heart beating anxiously against her rib cage when he had walked inside the room.

Heavens, why did life have to be so unfair?

"Hinata-san?"

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan straightened up immediately, and she nervously looked over her shoulder. It was with relief that Hinata noticed that it had been Lee who had called out for her, and that Naruto was nowhere in sight.

"O-Ohayo gozaimasu, Lee-san..." Hinata greeted as she stopped fidgeting her fingers, and she elegantly bowed. Lee mimicked her actions as soon as he reached her side, but he looked around a few seconds afterwards.

"I thought Hana-san and Naruto-kun would be here already." Lee commented as he stared at Hinata again, "Well, I expected Hana-san to be here already since she told me she was going to pick some herbs up."

"Naruto-kun probably woke up late because of all the paperwork." Hinata stated before she could stop herself, and Lee looked strangely at her. When her brain processed what she had just said, Hinata let out a small gasp, "I-I mean…Naruto-kun is probably busy, a-and that's why he…"

"Hinata-san, I am sorry for being so blunt, but…" Lee paused, and Hinata looked down in embarrassment, "Are you and Naruto-kun dating?"

Oh dear lord!

"No!" Hinata exclaimed in a high-tone, and she went red when her high-pitched voice reached her ears. Quickly, she cleared her throat, her cheeks now burning hot, "I-I mean…no; Naruto-kun and I are not…dating."

"Oh? I'm sorry for asking, but it's just that after everything Naruto-kun did, and since he was so worried about you when you returned home…" Lee trailed off, and he slowly rested a hand on the back of his head, "But then again, it's not really my business so…"

"Hina-chan! Lee-san!" a voice called out, and the two ninja looked to their sides only to see Hana running towards them as fast as she could. "I am so sorry, I ended up meeting Team 10 on the way, and…well, you know…"

"Ohayo, Hana-san!" Lee greeted with a wide smile and a wave while Hinata simply watched as her female best friend reach her side, "I guess this means Naruto-kun will be the last one to arrive."

"I actually thought he'd be the first to arrive." Hana commented, and Hinata glanced sideways at her before she looked down. Had something happen to him and they had yet to be told? No, that could not be; they were waiting for Uzumaki Naruto after all…

But then, why wasn't he there?

"Oi!!! Hinata!!!" a voice shouted from afar, and the three ninja looked behind them in confusion only to spot Naruto rushing towards them while waving a hand in the air. He had thrown his backpack over his right shoulder while he seemed to be holding a sandwich with his left hand. "Hey! Wait up!"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered to herself as she rested both her hands against her chest, and she mentally breathed in relief. When she felt something warm rest on her upper-arm, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan looked to her side only to face Hana's faint smile.

"We were beginning to wonder if something had happened." Lee observed when Naruto reached his side, panting while he tried to make sure his sandwich did not fall to the ground. "Did something happen?"

"No, I just slept in." Naruto answered with a sheepishly smile on his face before he straightened up, "And then I had to make breakfast because a damn cat ate my ramen, and before I knew it I was already late."

"A cat ate your…ramen?" Lee repeated, and Naruto nodded at that while Hinata looked down. So he had started eating ramen for breakfast again; she wondered how he managed to keep up with all that liveliness when his diet was so poor.

"Shall we go then?" Hana inquired, quickly stopping Naruto from explaining how on earth a cat had eaten his ramen, "Naruto-kun, if you feel tired or lightheaded I want you to tell me. I'll give you something to help you, all right?"

"There's no need for you to worry about me, this will be suffice." Naruto answered as he raised the hand that was still holding the badly prepared sandwich, and Hinata glanced timidly at him. Did he really miss eating her food? Probably not; after all, ramen was his favourite food.

"All right, Konohagakure's blazing fire is departing!" Lee pretty much shouted as he threw a punch in the air, a wide smile on his face. Naruto quickly mimicked his friend's actions only to let out a small cry of horror when he accidentally dropped his sandwich.

"Ah! My breakfast!"

"C'mon Hina-chan, give him one of your rice balls." Hana whispered at her friend while she tried the best she could not to laugh at Naruto's antics. Hinata immediately blushed at those words before she looked at the medical-nin, "And don't give me that look; I know you prepared some of those."

"I-I…"

"Lee-san, can I talk to you for a moment?" Hana swiftly interrupted as she turned to the member of Team Gai. For a second, Hinata just watched as Hana and Lee walked through the Gates of Konoha before she focused her attention on Naruto, who was still staring at his fallen sandwich with a crestfallen expression on his face

Hesitantly, Hinata reached out for her backpack, and opened it before she grabbed the wooden box where she had placed the rice balls. Then, as she shivered slightly in anticipation, Hinata walked towards Naruto, holding the box with both her hands.

"Na-Naruto-kun…"

"Huh? Oh, what's wrong Hinata?" Naruto asked as he looked up from his lost breakfast, and the girl swallowed hard as she reached his side, trying desperately not to show her nervousness. "What's that?"

"I-I prepared some rice balls for the trip, but you can eat some…if you want to." Hinata whispered the last part, still feeling slightly awkward, but Naruto simply continued observing the wooden box in her hands. "B-But if you don't want to, then I…"

"You prepared rice balls?" Naruto asked all of a sudden, his eyes meeting Hinata's without prior notice, and the Hyuuga heiress felt warmth reaching up for her cheeks. Shyly, she nodded, but Hinata blinked when Naruto suddenly smiled, "Yatta! I missed your cooking!"

Hinata could not help but blush ten shades of red at that.

Smiling, Naruto reached out for the box, and Hinata tried to ignore the way his warm fingers caressed hers for a second. Then, before Naruto could open the lid, and start devouring the rice balls, Lee's voice echoed from afar.

"Oi! What are you two doing?!"

"Hey, wait up!" Naruto exclaimed when he noticed where Lee and Hana were, and then he turned to Hinata. "C'mon, let's go. We can't be left behind now, can we?"

Hinata simply nodded in return, and watched as Naruto started walking towards the two other members of their temporary team. Her eyes quickly rested on Naruto's back, and Hinata unconsciously pressed her right hand against her chest.

That was going to be it, was it not?

She was going to tell Naruto all about the marriage of convenience on that mission. She was going to tell him, and explain that she was never to return to Yamato's apartment mostly because it was not proper for her to do so. Especially not now that she had already spoken with her fiancé.

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted, and the young woman snapped from her reverie only to notice that Naruto had already reached Lee's side, and was now waving a hand in the air. "Let's go!"

"Hai!" Hinata managed to shout back in her low voice, and she slowly dropped her right arm.

Yes, it was time for her to say goodbye to what had once been her most treasured dream.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q:** Why on earth didn't Sakura go with Naruto and Hinata instead of Hana or Lee?

**A: **I cannot tell you the real reason (or I would spoil the fun), but basically it is necessary for Sakura to stay in Konohagakure. Just like most of you want to see something happening between Naruto and Hinata, I need to develop Sakura's character a tad more so that something can happen to her, and for that she has to stay in Konoha.

**Q: **So, Naruto and the others are going to the Land of the Whirlpool, huh? Does that mean he's going to find out about his mother?

**A: **Now this one is easy; in the last scene of chapter 14 Tsunade says:

"_Perhaps it is time for me to tell him about his story. I know now that he's going to receive the news with joy despite of the first shock. And afterwards…once he knows about his heritage, I'll finally be able to rest."_

So, what do you think? Does that answer your question?


	18. The Shadow of Our Hearts

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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I want to thank _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**blblblblbl**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**Amaleea**_, _**unique229**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Blinkin**_, _**The Golden Hat**_, _**ZaiFlare**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Shinako Hyuga**_, _**Chewie Cookies**_, _**Batty**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl**_, _**Xx Anti NaruxSaku xX**_ and _**uzukun7**_ for everything. You guys have been more than amazing, and I hope you'll continue to enjoy the future chapters.

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**Chapter 17**

_The Shadow of Our Hearts_

_"If you don't do something about your attitude, you'll wake up one day and realize that you're a lonely, pitiable excuse of a ninja, who never had the guts to tell Sasuke-kun that she loved him!"_

Sakura almost ripped the book she was holding in two when Ino's voice echoed in the back of her mind, her teeth gritted in anger. She honestly could not understand Ino. She was going out with Choji, although they had yet to make their relationship official, and yet she still seemed to be interested in Sasuke.

Sakura simply could not comprehend why.

Clenching her right hand into a fist, Sakura put the book down, and closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. It was infuriating, but no matter what she did to grow distant of reality, Ino's words would always haunt her.

Ino was planning to take Sasuke away…

"Argh!" Sakura yelled before she slammed her fist against the table, creating a fissure right in the middle. Growling, the medical-nin stared at the now ruined table before she grabbed her book again, and slammed it shut.

What did Ino know anyway? All she cared was about Sasuke's looks!

But still, if that was true, then why on earth was she so bothered?

"This is a library, you know?"

Sakura pretty much jumped in her seat at the sudden voice, and she looked over her shoulder only to feel her breath get caught on her throat. The first thing she noticed was that he had finally changed his outfit, which now resembled slightly to the one he used to wear when they were younger.

And the second thing she noticed was how his eyes glanced at the crack on the desk before he gazed at the book she was still holding in her hands.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura whispered as she stared at the young man right in the eyes, only to feel as if she was drowning in the darkness of his onyx-black orbs. "I didn't know you were here."

"I was trying to stay out of sight." Sasuke replied, almost as if he had been expecting that comment, and Sakura nodded slightly as a reaction. Silence started to surround them, but for some reason the medical-nin could not help but feel as if that stillness had nothing to do with the one they used to share in the past.

The fact they were not talking was making her feel slightly uncomfortable, and Sakura had to stop herself from shifting on her seat. It was then that she noticed that Sasuke was also holding a book with his right hand, and she struggled to read the title.

"'_The Chronicles of the Three Sanin'_?" Sakura read out loud, even though the title was upside down, and Sasuke nodded before he raised his hand. Then, Sakura turned to him, "I read that book before. It's like a journal about Tsunade-sensei, Jiraiya-san and…Orochimaru."

"Yes, I've already read it." Sasuke said in reply, and Sakura blinked at that. "Do you have any idea about what sort of book I should pick next? This was too much of a light reading."

…Light reading? She had taken almost seven hours to finish reading that book on one sitting!

"Oh, hum…yes, I think I have a few ideas." Sakura finally managed to say when she noticed that Sasuke was staring at her, and she promptly stood up from her chair. "I love to read books about Konohagakure. One of my favourites speaks of all the Hokages, including Tsunade-sensei. It took me almost two days to read it; I think you'll like it."

With a small smile, Sakura started leading Sasuke through the aisles of the library, occasionally pointing at some book she had read in the past. Every time she said something, Sasuke either nodded or simply glanced in direction of the book Sakura was pointing at.

Well, at least that had not changed.

_Talking is easy, Sakura. But I'd like to see you trying to beat me in this. After all, I am not one to run away when things get tough, and if you continue to be this pathetic then conquering Sasuke-kun will be piece of cake, and your pissed off expression will be the cherry on top._

Sakura had to restrain herself from punching the bookshelf next to her when those words unexpectedly popped from the back of her brain. Damn Ino and her damned plans!

"Sakura…"

The medical-nin stopped walking when Sasuke's voice broke the silence, but she kept her back turned. Maybe Ino was right; maybe unconsciously she was trying to get away from the present, and taking refuge in her memories.

Maybe involuntarily she was struggling to believe that despite of everything that had happened, they were still the same. She was still the same Sakura as before, Naruto was still the same loudmouth and silly ninja, and Sasuke…

…and Sasuke was still the same person she grew up loving.

"Sakura…"

The young woman closed her eyes when Sasuke uttered her name again, and she felt a shiver run up her spine. In a way that moment was making her want to go back in time to that night when she had confessed her feelings for the Uchiha. They had been alone, and Sasuke had been about to leave their village to pursue one of his biggest dreams.

How foolish and naïve she had been on that night for hoping that Sasuke would stay in Konohagakure because of her feelings for him.

"You…" Sakura started as flashes of that night emerged from the back of her mind, but she still refused to glance at the young man standing behind her, "Once you said that…you're different from us… You said that you couldn't become like Naruto and I, and that it was because of that that you preferred to be alone."

Sasuke said nothing nor did he shift as she spoke.

"I remember telling you that I loved you." Sakura continued, a bitter smile on her face as she stared at the bookshelf in front of her, "I remember you calling me annoying, and…and I remember…I remember…"

_Sakura. Thank you._

"Sakura," Sasuke called out again, a note of irritation now on his voice, but the medical-nin still refused to look at him. Yes, it seemed that Ino was corrected…she simply could not bid farewell to the old Sasuke, and accept the new one.

But it was also then, right when Sakura was ready to admit to herself that she had indeed grown to become a pathetic kunoichi that Sasuke uttered two heartbreakingly familiar words.

"Thank you."

Sakura widened her eyes in shock, and she slowly looked over her shoulder. Sasuke was still standing behind her, arms resting on his sides as he returned the gaze. He had an impassive expression on his face, which made it difficult for Sakura to understand the real meaning behind those two words, and yet…and yet there was something in the depths of his eyes that comforted her in a way.

"Why…?" Sakura finally managed to whisper, but Sasuke simply continued to stare at her. Then, after what had resembled to an eternity, Sasuke broke the eye-contact, and walked past her in direction of a bookshelf.

Too shocked to move, Sakura simply continued staring at the spot Sasuke had once occupied, thoughts consuming her mind. He had thanked her, and he had looked solemn while doing so, but…why had he thanked her?

What had she done to deserve such candid look?

* * *

"Are they always like this?"

Hinata could only shrug lightly in return as the two girls stared at the trail of dust left behind by Lee and Naruto.

It had been estimated that they were not going to take more than two days to arrive to the Land of the Whirlpool. They had yet to encounter people on the roads, but it was not as if they were expecting much contact with outsiders during their mission. Instead, the four-man team was walking through the deserted road, occasionally chatting about something concerning their assignment.

"Seriously, I never expected to see them behaving like children in a time like this." Hana continued as she rested her right hand on her hip, and Hinata smiled faintly at that.

Ever since they had left Konohagakure that Lee and Naruto had been wasting their time making unreasonable bets; how long it was going to take them to arrive at Land of Whirlpool, who was going to be the first to complain about being tired…and now they had decided to have a race between the two of them.

They were to reach a pine-tree that was at the horizon and return back to the girls.

"I think they're behaving like this because it's been a while since they went on a mission together." Hinata commented as she watched as the cloud of dust started settling down, "But at least they're having fun."

"That's true," Hana agreed with a small laugh, and Hinata giggled softly as well before she quieted down. Then, she looked away from the direction Naruto and Lee had taken to reach the pine-tree to gaze at the medical-nin.

"Ne, did you tell Shikamaru-san that you were coming?"

Hana looked down at that question, and for a moment Hinata wondered if she had asked the wrong thing. However, before she could speak up again, Hana took a deep breath, and turned to her with a smile on her face.

"You don't have to worry about Shikamaru-san and I anymore, Hina-chan." she pointed out a tad too happily, and Hinata blinked at that. "Besides we ought to focus more on you. Has something happened between you and Sasuke-san since we last talked?"

Now it was Hinata's turn to drop her gaze. Hana, at her friend's silence, stared at the sky, and crossed her arms against her chest.

"Hmm, I guess it did." the medical-nin mused, and Hinata glanced timidly at her before she looked down again, "Has your father said anything about you and Sasuke-san? Did you tell him about what you think about the wedding?"

"Actually…" Hinata started in her low voice, and Hana titled her head slightly to the side as she waited. "Actually, Sasuke-kun and I have already met, and…well, the contract was sealed…well, verbally that is."

"Is that so?" Hana asked as she stared at the path ahead of them, and Hinata nodded still without looking away from the ground. "So, I guess that's why you're so stiff. You haven't told Naruto about what's going on, and that's bothering you."

"I-It's not as if I can tell him now." Hinata answered back, and Hana glanced at her before shaking her head. "What? We're on a mission; I cannot possibly mention the marriage of convenience now. Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun has his own problems."

"Excuses I say." Hana pointed out unexpectedly, and Hinata blinked in surprise at that. "C'mon Hina-chan, I know it hurts, but don't you think it will be better if you tell him? What will you do if Naruto-kun ends up asking you why you left the apartment without talking to him first?"

"I-I…" Hinata trailed off, and looked down as the two of them continued walking, "I just…how can I tell him that Sasuke-kun and I… I can't possibly just go to him, and tell him about it. It's just…impossible."

"Hina-chan…" Hana started before she raised a hand, and rested it on Hinata's upper-arm, making her friend stop walking. Slowly, Hinata looked back at her, and the medical-nin continued, "Don't carry this burden all by yourself. Naruto-kun wouldn't like that."

"But I…Sasuke-kun and Sakura-san are his family." Hinata tried to explain, and she unconsciously started twiddling her fingers, "And…if I tell him about the marriage, then…I'm afraid of what may happen next."

"But…that's just it, isn't it?" Hana asked after a short pause, the two of them still standing in the middle of the road, and Hinata timidly gazed at her in the eye, "You can't live with this fear. Naruto-kun has proven to be one of the strongest ninja that we know. You have to tell him, Hina-chan; for your sake and his."

"I-I…"

"Hey, isn't that Lee-san?" Hana interrupted all of a sudden, and Hinata looked ahead only to blink when she saw a green blur running at full speed towards them. Not too far behind, was Naruto, also running as fast as he could, but obviously still too far away to win that so-called bet.

"The vividness of youth wins again!" Lee shouted as he reached Hana's side, and jumped in delight, a fist in the air. A wide smile was on his face, and surprisingly he did not look tired at all. "Yes! I told you I was going to win, Naruto-kun!"

"Ah, I give up!" Naruto exclaimed before quickly adding, "For now, that is! But I guess you're not called the 'Green Beast' for nothing. Man, what do you eat for breakfast?"

"Ah, that's one of the secrets." Lee started with a wink, his wide smile never fading, and he quickly turned to Naruto while Hana and Hinata shared a glance. "A balanced diet, which includes a great breakfast, and lots of training give you enough stamina to jog. You really need to start eating other things rather than just ramen."

"Well, I'm sure Hinata will help me with that." Naruto answered all of a sudden as he focused his attention on the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, who blushed ten shades of red when she noticed that he was staring at her with a smile. "She always prepares awesome breakfasts!"

"Well, shall we go?" Hana asked when she noticed the weird look Lee was sending at Naruto and Hinata, "We're supposed to arrive at the Land of the Whirlpool in two days, right? If we're supposed to accomplish that, then we really need to go."

"Speaking of the Land of the Whirlpool, I wonder what we're supposed to do there." Lee commented as the four of them started walking again, and both Naruto and Hinata nodded, "I mean, this is the first time Tsunade-sama sent us to do something without telling us the purpose of the mission."

"Well, she did tell us we'd find the answer to that question when we got there." Hinata answered after a short pause, and then she glanced at the three other shinobi, "Perhaps she's testing us?"

"No way, she knows I'm tired of all those tests." Naruto complained as he crossed his arms against his chest, but everyone simply smirked or smiled at his protest. "I'm starting to think she simply wanted to get rid of us."

"You can't possibly be serious." Lee interjected as he stared at the blonde ninja, "The Godaime has no reasons to do that. In fact, she looked quite serious when she told us to go find the Land of the Whirlpool. I am sure we'll find the answer as soon as we get there."

"Perhaps we should have tried to find some information about the Land?" Hana inquired as she gazed at the three shinobi, who looked back at her at the question, "I mean; all we know is that Land of Whirlpool no longer exists as an autonomous entity and that no one has resided there for years."

"Well, maybe a little research would have helped us, but now it's too late to think about it." Lee quickly started as he shrugged, "For now, let's just make sure we know where we're going. We'll figure out what to do as soon as we get there."

"Yeah, I think that's the best thing we can do for now." Naruto agreed with a short nod, and Hinata silently nodded in agreement. Then, the blonde turned to Lee, and smirked, "Shall we go for another run? I'm sure I'll be able to beat you this time."

Hana and Hinata groaned simultaneously when Lee agreed.

* * *

Nervousness was slowly devouring the serenity that had once resided inside the office. Four figures stood still, staring at random spots as they waited for what they knew that would only reach their shores in a week. All of them wished to be flying animals so that they could watch over the team that had been sent on a mission three hours ago and yet none of them wanted to admit that.

Instead, all of them stood together, never voicing their thoughts, never revealing their apprehension to the fullest.

"Asa will return when they camp." Mesi spoke up, and consequently shattering the silence, but the tenseness was still soaring above their heads like an imperceptible silhouette. "She will go back before the break of day."

"Her return will reveal that everything's all right." Tsunade mumbled to herself, as she entwined her fingers in front of her chin, but Mesi still nodded. Then, the Hokage stared at the three Jounin in front of her, "What do you think that will happen?"

"I think the answer is quite clear." Yamato spoke up, with a light shrug, "He's going to be mad, but I'm sure that once the truth settles in, he'll be beyond excited."

"He will most likely blame us for never telling him the truth," Kakashi continued, his hands stuffed inside his pants' pockets, his black eye locked with Tsunade's face, "Like Yamato said, he'll most likely be angry at us for never telling him about his heritage. But yes, I still think that at the end he will be quite thrilled."

"Yes, I think the same." Tsunade agreed with a short nod before she stood up from the chair, and leaned her back against the window behind her. Then, she crossed her arms loosely against her chest, "In fact, I am prepared for his resentment. However, dealing with this shall be my last assignment as the Hokage."

"So, you _are_ planning on stepping down after this." Yamato stated, and Tsunade stared at him before nodding, "You really have faith in the boy. May I ask what the advisors said about all this? What about Danzo?"

"Their opinions no longer matter to me," the Godaime confessed, a note of tiredness in her voice, "I already told them that Naruto cannot be considered as a weapon that needs to be hidden in order to keep Konoha out of war. I don't give a damn about them; they are foolish for not having faith."

There was a short pause, and Tsunade rested her middle and index fingers against her forehead as she let out a sigh.

"If they haven't learnt that it's time to trust in the next generation, and have faith in them…" Tsunade continued before she raised her eyes, and gazed at the three Jounin, "Then, it's their problem. Naruto is going to take my place whether they like it or not. It is time for them to see that the one who they tried to keep in the shadows, is the one who will bring the most prosperous of all times to Konohagakure."

Silence was the only tune that followed those lyrics, and Tsunade mentally breathed out before she waved a hand in front of her face.

"You're dismissed." she said, not bothering to hide her tiredness, but when all of them nodded, she stared at the other female in the office. "Mesi, I'd like to talk to you for a minute."

Without bothering to say anything, both Kakashi and Yamato abandoned the room, closing the door soundlessly behind them. As they walked down the hall, both men got lost in their own thoughts until they stepped out of the building.

"So, how are things going with Sasuke?" Yamato inquired as he stared at Kakashi through the corner of his eyes, "Must be tough having the Uchiha living with you now, no?"

"Not at all, he spends most of his time in his room." Kakashi explained as he shoved his hands inside his pants pockets. "I must admit I was hoping that he and Naruto would talk before one of them was assigned to go out on a mission, but…"

"I understand. What about the other problem?" Yamato questioned, and Kakashi stared at the sky in time to see a crow crossing the clear heavens. "Has anyone told Naruto about what's going on?"

"No, I think Tsunade-sama wants Hinata to be the one who tells him about it." Kakashi answered after a short period in silence, "And to be frank I'm not really sure how he's going to take that either. Two bombs are about to explode in his life, and he isn't even aware of it."

"Yes, but since this is Naruto we're talking about, I bet he'll find a way to survive to all those blasts." Yamato commented, using the same words as Kakashi, "After all, he is going to be the next Hokage."

"Indeed…" Kakashi trailed off as he continued observing the crow until it disappeared behind a building. However, after so many years observing Naruto, Hatake Kakashi could not help but sense in his bones that something ought to happen as soon as Naruto found out about his legacy and about Hinata and Sasuke's marriage.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Authoress' Note:** I just want to thank everyone who read _Confessions of the Heart_. I know the ending sucked, but still, I am really happy to hear that so many people enjoyed that one-shot. Thank you for all of your support!


	19. Limnade

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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This is probably one of my favourite chapters. Hopefully, Naruto x Hinata fans will agree with me after reading they read it. I am really excited about posting this, especially since you guys allowed me to reach 400 reviews! _400!_ You know, all of your support…all of your constant help…your kind words…they are all so precious to me. I am _so_ happy for being able to share this story with you that I cannot help but fear the possibility of disappointing you at some point. However, I promise I'll do my best to finish this story; you guys deserve it.

Muito obrigada a todos! Thank you all!

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**Chapter 18**

_Limnade_

_Promise me you'll bring him back?_

He could still feel the way the lukewarm breathe of summer blew from south, smoothly nestling underneath his body almost as if it was trying to lift him from the ground. He could still feel the caress of hundreds of leaves against his battered skin while they seemed to carry the whispers of all those he had left behind.

_You'll bring him back to me, right?_

He could feel the leaves resonating with his ninja's spirit. He knew that the branches of all trees were shedding off their protection because they wanted to help him recall the reason why he had decided to become stronger and more powerful.

And it had been with help from the wind and leaves that he had managed to stand up again, ignoring the incessant drops of crimson red liquid that kept streaming down from his injures. It had been with the indiscernible hand of nature that he had managed to keep on going…

_Promise me that both of you will return to me, safe and sound._

…Just like the promises that he had done had forced him to never give up.

And that had been why he, even at the edge of death, had managed to get up, and stand on his two feet, his eyes locked with the one he was going to drag back home no matter what. He could remember staring at the onyx-black pools that continued to taunt him, and he recalled quite well what he had said on that moment.

_There are people waiting for our return. The will to live is stronger than anything else. And I am going to take you back home!_

The deadly chant of a blade being wielded followed his words, and…

A gasp abandoned Naruto's lips as the young man sat up straight on his sleeping bag. Bullets of sweat were rolling down his flushed face as his eyes glanced everywhere, his body rigid and alert. When he finally realized where he was, Naruto focused in his irregular breathing at same time he closed his eyes.

When his heartbeat finally calmed down, Naruto took a deep breath, and opened his eyes again. Noiselessly, he stood up from his sleeping-bag, and without looking behind him, Naruto carefully left the tent.

Dazedly, Naruto wandered around through the forest, his eyes dark and unfocused. He could feel power pulsating through his veins, begging to be released, but he managed to keep it locked inside of his soul. Unconsciously, the blonde closed his hands into tight fists, and gritted his teeth.

He needed to find something he could use to release some energy.

After a few more minutes just wandering around, Naruto finally found a tree that he could use as a target. Its trunk was wide and strong, and the tree itself was quite big. It was far away from the tent, which meant that he would be able to make some noise, and not wake his team mates up.

Standing a few feet away from the tree, Naruto closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. In the darkness of his mind, flashes of his last battle with Sasuke started consuming his thoughts while muffled words started surrounding him like a cursed melody. All he wanted was to use _Rasengan_, and blast the tree, but for the sake of his friends and for the quietude of the night, he ignored that desire.

Instead, Naruto simply raised his closed fists, and got ready to attack his invisible opponent only to freeze when a familiar sound reached his ears. At the beginning it resemble to quiet raindrops hitting a closed window, but as seconds went by, Naruto finally recognized the sound, and recalled why they had decided to camp in that forest.

There was a lake close by.

Perhaps he could go for a swim, and calm down.

Slowly, Naruto lowered his arms, and made his way through the trees. It did not take long for him to walk around a rather large tree only to stop his tracks. He had been expecting to see that place empty of any sort of life, with the dark waters from the lake naked of anything that could stop him from jumping into the cold waters.

Instead, what he saw stunned him.

Dancing in the middle of the lake was what could only be described as a nymph. The mystical being was swirling around, using the water as a stage while drops of sparkling liquid surrounded the dancing figure. Long and dark tresses followed a pair of arms as the nymph danced on top of the waters with gracefulness.

The moon only added more secrecy and splendour to the scene. As the nymph moved its hands around, drops of water following each gentle caress, Naruto could not help but feel attracted to it. Involuntarily, he approached the lake, ignoring the moment when the tip of his toe touched the cold water.

All he could see was the nymph.

All he could feel was his need to raise a hand, and touch that magical yet faultless being.

But all it took was a slip from his part, and Naruto to let out a yelp in surprise as he fell head first into the lake. Gasping, Naruto raised his head above the water, and immediately stared at the spot where he had spotted the nymph.

Only to notice it was no longer there.

Growling at his clumsiness, Naruto approached the shore, and stood up, ignoring the way his clothes were now clinging to his body. Still cursing under his breath, Naruto stared at the lake again before he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing damp locks away from his eyes.

Why did that scene look so familiar?

With a groan, Naruto crossed his arms against his chest, and took a deep breath. At least he no longer felt the need to smash a tree in order to release his stamina; that unexpected dive had been enough to calm him down.

…But what of the nymph?

For a moment, Naruto just stared at the lake, silently hoping for something to happen again. In fact, he had lost sense of time as he continued staring at the dark waters, waiting for the nymph to reveal itself once more.

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto let out a sigh, and decided to go back to the tent.

Still with his arms pressed against his chest, the blond made his way back to his sleeping bag, only taking his jacket off. He really did not care about the rest of his clothes; he sure did not fancy the idea of sleeping only in his boxers when two girls were sleeping inside the tent.

Still awake, Naruto lay down, and covered his body with the sleeping bag before he stared at the ceiling of the tent. Then, it clicked. Widening his eyes in surprise, Naruto recalled the night when he had seen another nymph, dancing close to a waterfall. He had been on a mission along with Team Eight at the time.

…He wondered if Hinata remembered that.

Noiselessly, Naruto rolled to his side, and rested his head on his arm before he closed his eyes. He was going to ask Hinata about that on the next day, but for the moment he was going to rest.

And before Naruto knew it, he was already sleeping, dreaming about the dancing limnade of the lake.

* * *

If someone ever asked him to describe his team mate, he would say she was like Aphrodite; the representation of affection and attraction that binds people together. She also seemed to radiate a magical power that forced anyone she wished to do what she desired. It was quite troublesome really; all she had to do was smile or flick her hair over her shoulder, and guys would be falling at her feet.

That ability of hers had never really bothered him that much. In fact, he had never really cared about it, but now it was different. Just like Aphrodite's favourite lover was the god of war, Ino was beginning to show her interest in Uchiha Sasuke again.

And it was needless to say that such thing was not good.

"Okay, so it's time for me to go." Ino announced as she stood up from her chair, and Shikamaru stared silently at her. "Do you mind telling Choji that I'll eat breakfast with him tomorrow? I have something to do."

"Ino, are you sure this is what you want to do?" the member of the Nara family asked as he pressed his back against the chair, and the girl stared at him as she brushed her hair off her shoulder. "Choji was really excited about eating breakfast with you today."

"Oh, there will be other breakfasts for us to share." Ino answered as she waved a hand in front of her face, silently dismissing his observation, "Besides, what Choji does in my presence, he can do with you watching as well. You know that when it comes to food, Choji doesn't care about his surroundings."

"You know that's not true." Shikamaru pointed out, but Ino simply shrugged in reply. "You should at least wait for him to show up, and tell him yourself that you can't stay."

"Ah, c'mon Shikamaru, it won't kill you to do this." Ino complained as she rested her hands on her hips, "I can't stay. I have to go before he lea—I mean, I have to go see if my father needs my help at the shop. He keeps complaining that I barely help him out these days."

Such a big, fat lie…

"Mendokusee…"

"Thanks Shikamaru! You're the best!" Ino exclaimed with a bright smile, and before the young man could even part his lips to speak, she dashed out of the restaurant.

Sighing, Shikamaru crossed his arms loosely against his chest, and crossed his legs. That was becoming too wearisome, but the worst was that it looked as if Ino was not even aware of what she was doing. Shikamaru could only hope she would notice what was going on before it was too late.

"Oi, Shikamaru!"

The lazy ninja let out an inaudible sigh as he looked to his side in time to see Choji rushing towards him, a wide smile on his face. How on earth was he supposed to tell his friend that his girlfriend had left to go chase another boy?

"Hey, where's Ino? I thought she'd be here by now."

Why on earth was he always the one who got stuck in such difficult situations?

"She…had to leave." Shikamaru decided to say as he watched his friend sitting across from him, so that the table was in-between them. The way Choji's smile vanished did not go unnoticed. "She said she'd eat breakfast with you tomorrow."

"Oh." was all Choji uttered as he stared down at the table, and Shikamaru mentally sighed again. "So…she went after Sasuke, huh?"

The sight of kind and peace loving Choji, smiling despondently as he spoke those words would never disappear from Shikamaru's memories.

"I guess I should have prepared myself better for this." the member of the Akimichi Clan continued, a forlorn expression on his face as he raised his eyes to stare at Shikamaru, "I knew this was going to happen, but still…I don't know, I guess it was stupid of me to hope that a girl like Ino would actually…chose a guy like me."

If hating was not such an incommodious feeling, Shikamaru would not mind to admit that he detested his female team mate at the moment.

"Choji, perhaps you sh—"

"Ah, here you are."

Shikamaru froze at the unexpected voice. The sound of footsteps was enough to indicate that someone was getting closer, and the young man mentally groaned when his brain finally figured out who had spoken.

Artemis had finally arrived to Konohagakure; the lady of the wild things; the huntsman of the gods, and protector of the young. And mockingly enough, all animals were afraid of her, especially the deer.

Then, it was Choji's turn to speak.

"Hello Temari."

* * *

Hana could not help but smile as she watched Hinata struggling to put her sleeping bag inside of her backpack. The Hyuuga had been behaving rather strangely ever since they had woken up, and blushed every single time Naruto tried to approach her. Hinata had inclusively almost fainted once that morning as well, which resulted in a very amusing moment.

However, as time progressed, Hana wondered if something had happened. She had slept during most of the time only waking up twice; one to notice that Hinata was not in the tent, and the second one to see Naruto walking inside the tent, soaking wet. And to be honest, Hana had not thought much about it up until that moment…

…But that did not mean that Hinata's behaviour did not create some suspicions.

"So, Hina-chan…" Hana started only to blink in surprise when her friend jumped in surprise, "Whoa, calm down. Why are you so jumpy this morning?"

"A-Ah, n-nothing happened." Hinata stuttered as she finally managed to find a way to close her backpack, and Hana raised an eyebrow slightly at her weak lie. "I-I mean, I-I…well, what I mean is that n-nothing happened."

"Then why are you blushing?" Hana inquired still with the eyebrow raised, but her suspicion only grew when Hinata's cheeks turned a deep shade of red. When her friend lowered her gaze, Hana crossed her arms against her chest, "Hina-chan…did you and Naruto-kun do something yesterday after we went to bed?"

"E-Eh?!" Hinata shrieked in her low voice, and both Lee and Naruto glanced at them in puzzlement. Hana, on the other hand, simply continued staring at the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, arms still pressed against her chest, "N-Nothing h-happened."

"Hina-chan, you should know by now that you suck at lying." Hana pointed out, and her friend started twiddling her fingers at the statement. "Fine, if you don't want to tell me, I won't force it out of you. I just think you sh—"

"Hey, did any of you see a nymph yesterday?" Naruto asked all of a sudden, and Hana stopped talking as she focused her attention on the blond. Lee stared at him as well before shaking his head, while Hinata stared down at her feet, her face growing even redder than before.

"Naruto-kun, you do know that nymphs don't exist, right?" Lee asked back as he titled his head slightly to the side. "They make part of a class of mythological entities in human forms. It's impossible for them to exist."

"Well, I swear I did see one yesterday." Naruto started to explain as he flailed his arms around, trying to give emphasis to his words. "It was in the middle of the lake, dancing, and the water seemed to follow its moves. It was really impressive! Especially since the moon was full!"

A small _eek_ forced Hana to glance at Hinata, and the medical-nin blinked at what she saw. Hinata's face was so hot and red that steam was practically emanating from her ears while the girl kept her eyes locked with the ground.

A nymph, eh? Now _that_ was interesting…

"Naruto-kun, like I just said—"

"Perhaps it was a limnade." Hana interrupted Lee, and she tore her eyes away from Hinata when the two boys glanced at her. "They live in freshwater lakes, and their parents were either river or lake gods. What did the nymph look like to you, Naruto-kun?"

"Oh that's easy." Naruto started, but he still pondered a moment as he tapped a finger against his chin. Then, a wide grin graced his tanned features, "It looked like a goddess!"

And before someone could understand what was going on, Hinata fell on her knees, her head dropped while dark tresses concealed her now pale features.

"Ah, Hinata!"

"Oh boy…" Hana mumbled under her breath as she watched Naruto rushing to the Hyuuga's side, and cradle her in his arms while Lee watched them in confusion. That had indeed been the best time for Hyuuga Hinata to faint.

"Hana, what happened to her?" Naruto asked as he continued holding Hinata against his chest, and the medical-nin calmly made her towards the two shinobi but not before asking Lee for some water.

She could not help but inwardly chuckle at what was going on, and at same time she hoped that Naruto would soon notice that his goddess was now lying in his arms.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Authoress Note: **_Katqueen95 _asked me a few days ago if I allowed her to write an one-shot (song fic) about Hana, Temari and Shikamaru. I told her to go ahead, and I must say I am not disappointed with the result. On the contrary, I find her story absolutely amazing, and she describes Hana fantastically well. The title of her one-shot is Teardrops on My Guitar, and I have added it to my favorites. I am saying this because I think that in case you like my Original Character, Fuzen Hana, then you'll probably enjoy _Katqueen95_'s story. I was surprised by the ending, because I never really thought about it, and who knows? If you guys end up reading it, maybe you'll be surprised as well.

* * *

_Note:_ In Greek Mythology, the _Limnade_ (or _Limnatides_) were a type of Naiad. They live in freshwater lakes. Their parents were river or lake gods. Also, in Greek Mythology, _Naiads_ (or _Naiades_) were a type of nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs, streams or brooks.


	20. The Forgotten Shores

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I know I keep thanking everyone, but it's not like I can change this behaviour of mine. You guys are really awesome. However, I must leave here a special thanks to _**Amaleea**_, _**uzukun7**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Chewie Cookies**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**ZaiFlare**_, _**lilusagi12**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Da-Deranged-Dude**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**unique229**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**vash3055**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**62635377-nameless**_, _**Xx Anti NaruxSaku xX**_, _**SharinganAngel93**_, _**jolteonforever**_, _**Shinako Hyuga**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**Romez**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**Lhunjalien**_ and _**Samebito Ryu**_. Also, I was really happy to hear that most of you enjoyed the addition of Greek mythology gods and goddesses. Personally I thought it would be different to add that sort of topic. Now I am glad that I did.

* * *

**Random Comment:** You know, I was a tad preoccupied about writing the scene when Naruto finds out the truth about his family (and before you ask, no, that's not going to happen in the chapter you're about to read), but after I read the manga's chapter 440, I just couldn't help but hope for the best. Now, don't take me wrong, I am happy Naruto finally got the chance to find out about his heritage, it's just that…I think I was expecting something different…perhaps a tad too different… (pause). Anyway, sorry for this comment, it certainly came from out of the blue.

* * *

**Chapter 19**

_The Forgotten Shores_

"I will summon Morino Ibiki. I believe he's the best choice." Tsunade stated as she crossed her arms against her chest, her eyes locked with a pair of onyx-black orbs. "Since he's the commanding officer of the Konoha ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force, I strongly believe he'll be able to guide you."

"He was the one in charge of the first part of the Chunin Exam…" Sasuke mused, a blank expression on his face, and Tsunade nodded in reply. "Some described him as a sadist…as someone who has the talent to subject people to great agony without using physical torture."

"Yes, I am quite aware of his fame." Tsunade dismissed the subject by leaning her back against her chair, her arms still loosely crossed below her breasts. "The reason why I want him to be the one aiding you is because I am aware he'll teach you the boundaries of The Konoha Military Police Force."

Sasuke simply nodded faintly at that.

"Also, I am going to give you permission to start rebuilding the Uchiha Compound." the Godaime continued, "I have already requested for employees, and you shall have a reunion with the workers tomorrow morning. I requested for Shiranui Genma to be present as well. Afterwards, I want a complete report about the construction, and I also want you to tell me what you're planning on doing first."

Once again, Sasuke nodded.

"I also have one question I would like to ask." Tsunade finally declared, but the avenger did not even blink, "Have you signed the contract about your marriage to Hyuuga Hinata?"

"No." Sasuke answered immediately, almost as if he had been expecting that question, the expression on his face never changing, "Hyuuga Hiashi has yet to convey the contract. I presume the delay is related to the fact Hyuuga Hinata had to go away on a mission."

"I see…" Tsunade trailed off as she stared at the small pile of papers in the centre of her desk before she glanced at Sasuke again, "I assume you're sure about this."

"I am aware of the conveniences and difficulties of this matter, yes." Sasuke replied as he folded his arms against his chest, and Tsunade hmm'ed at that before she straightened up again, "The strongest and most authoritarian Clans are to be linked by an arranged married, and such will happen through my matrimony to Hyuuga Hinata."

"So, you are determined about this." Tsunade said, but this time Sasuke did not move, "But tell me, what if at the end it was discovered that the so-called prophecy was wrong? Would you still be willing to marry Hinata or would you consider calling the wedding off?"

"I find it unlikely for Hyuuga Hiashi to make such mistake." Sasuke replied, but Tsunade simply continued to observe him, "Therefore, I have no answer for that question. However, now I'd like to know if your question means that it is possible for another powerful Clan to exist."

"I was simply taking that possibility in consideration. That is all." Tsunade stated, but before she could say something else, someone knocked at the door. Silently, the Hokage looked away from Sasuke, "Enter."

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, I just needed you t—" Ino stopped talking abruptly, her eyes locked with Sasuke's form. Tsunade wordlessly observed as the member of the Yamanaka Clan continued staring at the only male inside the office until she decided to break the silence.

"Can I help you, Ino?"

"Oh yes, I apologise." the blonde quickly said as she snapped from her trance, and she promptly made her way to the desk. "I have a couple of reports I need you to sign. Two of my patients need to be operated, but Shizune said I needed your authorization to go ahead with the surgeries."

"Let me see them." Tsunade answered as she motioned for Ino to hand her the papers, "I will need a few minutes to read these. Why don't you go wait outside? Sasuke can accompany you to the door since we've already finished talking as well."

"Oh, alright," was all Ino managed to say while Sasuke did not even utter a word. With watchful eyes, Tsunade followed the two ninja as they walked out of her office, Sasuke closing the door silently behind him.

Then, the Hokage shook her head; she was growing too old to deal with youthful hormones.

On the meanwhile, Ino was now staring at Sasuke, who still had his hand on the doorknob, thoughts running through her mind at full speed. Dear heavens, had he looked so handsome when she had spotted him on top of the building? She honestly could not remember.

But Ino did have to admit that Sasuke had bloomed into a fine looking man, who still carried an aura of danger and secrecy wherever he went. And that was absolutely astounding to say the least.

"So, hum…" Ino started, only to trail off when Sasuke suddenly focused his eyes on her, and the girl felt a shiver run up her spine. Oh yes, nothing could even compare to his onyx-black eyes…those dark pools of inscrutability that had enough power to capture any heart within seconds.

Then, Sasuke turned his back to her, and Ino snapped back to reality only to realize that the member of the Uchiha Clan was already walking away. It was also then that Ino heard two familiar voices coming from behind her, and a smirk appeared on her face as she stared at Sasuke's back.

Then, she rushed after Sasuke, and entwined her arm with his before she looked over her shoulder…

…And her eyes meet a pair of pale green orbs.

It was show time.

"Oh, Sakura, look who I just found," Ino sing-sang as she continued holding Sasuke's arm with both her hands, a wide smile on her face. The pink haired girl, on the other hand, continued staring at them with wide eyes, Shizune standing next to her with a confused mask on her face.

"Ino…" Sakura growled, but the other medical-nin glanced at Sasuke, and smiled cutely at him.

"You know, Sasuke-kun and I were just about to go eat lunch. I would invite you to come, but I know you're a tad busy with your patients." Ino started as she stared at Sakura again, the smile never fading from her lips. "Who knows? Maybe next time you'll be able to join us."

Once again, Sakura growled the blonde's name, but Ino dismissed her by turning to Sasuke again.

"Say, Sasuke-kun, what do you say if we go eat some barbecue?"

"Humph."

Mentally laughing, Ino winked in Sakura's direction before she subtly started pulling Sasuke with her. She could feel Sakura's murdering glare on her back, but Ino ignored it as she flipped her long hair over her shoulder, her left arm entwined with Sasuke's.

"Hey, where are you going?" Shizune asked in a loud tone, but Ino dismissed everything as she stared sideways at Sasuke's blank expression.

There was nothing more rewarding than to piss Haruno Sakura off by stealing Uchiha Sasuke away.

* * *

A sigh abandoned Shikamaru's lips as he continued strolling down the street with a tall woman, whose hair was pulled into four buns. At the sigh, Temari glanced at him through the corner of her eyes before she decided to shake her head.

"There's no need for you to look so enthusiastic." the kunoichi from Sunagakure commented all of a sudden, and Shikamaru glanced at her before he focused his attention on the sky. "I'll be gone before you know it."

"Mendokusee…" Shikamaru grunted, and Temari smiled faintly at his behaviour, but her expression was replaced by a blank mask when the male ninja looked at her again. "Time sure flies fast, don't you think? It feels like it was just yesterday that we were planning the Chunin Exams."

"Now that's true." Temari agreed with a short nod before she crossed her arms against her chest, "It does seem like it was just yesterday that I was challenging to spar with me."

"Not that again…" Shikamaru groaned, and the kunoichi from Sunagakure chuckled at his antics before she waved a hand in front of her face.

"Never mind that for now, though I still want to spar with you one of these days." she pointed out, and Shikamaru let out another exhausted sigh, "But anyway, for now let's focus on the Exams, and talk about the three stages."

"We should go to the library." Shikamaru answered before he blinked when he spotted Neji and Tenten not too far from them, talking close to a tree. Without bothering to say a word, he walked towards the couple, hands stuffed inside his pants' pockets.

"Please, Neji, spar with me just this once." Shikamaru heard Tenten plead as she clasped her hands in front of her chin, but the member of the Hyuuga Clan simply scoffed in return. Clearing his throat, Shikamaru managed to catch their attention.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." the lazy ninja started, but while Tenten simply blinked, Neji stared blankly at him. "I was just wondering if you had heard anything about Naruto's team."

"No, but accordingly to what I was told, they will probably arrive at their destination today." Neji answered after a short pause, and Shikamaru nodded in silent understanding. "They are to return by the end of the week."

"Thank you." Shikamaru thanked with a short nod, which Neji returned in silence, and without glancing at Temari, who was standing next to him, he turned around.

As he walked away, Shikamaru could still hear Tenten telling Neji that they could spar even only for an hour.

"What was that all about?" Temari questioned as she appeared next to him, but Shikamaru simply stared at the clear heavens above. At his silence, the kunoichi raised an eyebrow, "Does this have anything to do with the kunoichi from Takigakure? Did she go on that mission?"

"We should talk about the first stage of the Chunin Exams." Shikamaru started all of a sudden, but Temari did not even blink at the abrupt change of subject, "Perhaps we could ask Morino Ibiki to do it. He is one of the best, and since the first stage is to test the Genins information gathering abilities and decision-making abilities…"

"As well as their overall information of the ninja philosophy…" Temari added before she nodded, "Very well, we could go ask Hokage-sama what she thinks of this. And since you've mentioned this, I was wondering if we could call a ninja from Sunagakure to supervise the second stage. I have brought a list of what we could do to test the Genins aptitudes at accomplishing a mission and adhering to guidelines."

"Yes, I would like to study that." Shikamaru agreed with a short nod, "And then we shall focus on the third stage. Although there's nothing much we can do about that, since it consists of fights between those who passed the previous two stages."

"We should keep an eye out for the council of Daimyos." Temari advised, and Shikamaru looked at her with a frown on his face. "They do tend to go overboard with their threats, although there's nothing we can do about the bribing of one of the combatants to let his opponent win."

"It's too troublesome to try to deal with the Daimyos." Shikamaru mumbled under his breath as the two of them turned around on a corner, and Konoha's Library came into view, "Let's just focus on the Genin and on the Chunin Exams."

"All right, all right, whatever you say." Temari replied as she waved her hands slightly in the air as they approached the steps that lead to the main door of the Library. However, before something else could be said, a voice caught their attention.

"Shishi!"

"Oh my, is that Kioko?" Temari gasped as she stared at the little girl that was resting in the arms of her mother, and she quickly went to Kurenai's side. "She looks so cute!"

Shikamaru let out a tired sigh as Kioko started giggling since Temari was now tickling her sides while Kurenai laughed as well. Women…he was never going to understand them…

* * *

Naruto, Hinata, Lee and Hana could only stare at the scene displayed in front of them. They had never been told of what would work as an indicator to let them know that they had arrived to their destiny, but now they understood why Tsunade had refused to utter a word.

A few meters away from their position, ground's realm ended, and water's kingdom began. The distance between the riverbank where they stood and the other one was not big enough to worry them. In fact, what had forced them to stop moving had not been the unpredicted river; oh no, what they had not been expecting was what they could easily distinguish in the surface of the water.

Whirlpools…

"I guess this is not called the Land of Whirlpool for nothing, eh?" Naruto decided to ask as he finally tore his eyes away from the whirlpools to glance at his friends, who nodded in return. "What do you say if we cross this river, and go explore?"

"What do you say Hinata-san?" Lee asked as he focused his attention on the Hyuuga heiress, who quickly activated her _Byakugan. _"It's true Hokage-sama said this is an abandoned village, but I still think we ought to be sure."

"There's no one there." Hinata announced after a few seconds scanning the area, tensed veins reaching up from her upper cheeks to her temples. "The village has been completely destroyed. There's no human life."

"Okay, so I guess that means it's safe for us to cross the river." Naruto declared with a grin, and once again, everyone nodded at his words.

In a matter of seconds, the four-man team had crossed the river, most of them glancing down at the various whirlpools during their jump. All of them could not help but speculate about what tales and nightmares resided in those forsaken shores and about what they were supposed to search for.

Once they were all in the other riverbank, the team silently approached the tall trees in front of them. Then, without sharing a word, all of them leaped in direction of various branches, and continued moving forward under Hinata's instructions.

However, even though they had all prepared themselves to face an abandoned and ruined village, the truth was that all of them blinked in surprise when a path emerged from amongst the trees. Then, as Hinata deactivated _Byakugan_, the four ninja jumped to the ground, and started following the trail only to find themselves staring at a destroyed village moments later.

The village was nothing when in comparison with Konohagakure or even Sunagakure. It was rather small in size, but a long river meandered around it, its dark waters forming whirlpools every now and then. Walls of countless houses were cracking, roofs seemed extremely aged. There were windows crushing under the weight of time, but the most impressive of all was the silence.

A screaming silence…

"Okay, so what do you think we should do now?" Lee inquired as he continued inspecting the scenery in front of them without leaving Hana's side. "I think we should take profit of this place. We could spend the night in one of the houses."

"That one looks more stable." Hinata said in a timid voice as she pointed at a house on their left side, not too far from the forest, her _Byakugan_ activated once more, "I think we could spend the night there."

"Okay, let's go put our stuff in there, and start searching for…well, I don't know what." Naruto decided, but when he was about to step forward, Hana spoke up.

"But that's the thing, we don't know what we're supposed to look for." the medical-nin admitted, voicing the thoughts that had been crossing everybody's minds. "I want to help, but…how am I supposed to know I found what I'm looking for if I don't even know what that thing is?"

"Tsunade-baachan told us we'd know as soon as we found it." Naruto answered, and everyone blinked at his determined tone, "And I trust her. If she said we were going to be successful, then that's because it's true."

"But Naruto-kun…"

"I agree with Naruto-kun," Lee declared, glancing at Hinata silently asking forgiveness for interrupting her so abruptly. "Let's first put our things down, and then we'll scan the area in pairs. Hokage-sama wouldn't send us on this mission if she didn't believe in us. The flame of youth shall prevail!"

"Yosh! Let's waste no more time!" Naruto exclaimed as he threw a punch in the air, and Lee mimicked his actions with equal excitement. Then, before one of the girls could speak, the two of them rushed to the house Hinata had pointed at.

"Was that another of their bets?" Hana asked as she gazed at Hinata, who simply let out a faint sigh before she shrugged.

Excitedly, Naruto practically threw his backpack to the floor as soon as he walked through the non-existent open door of the house. Lee also did the same, none of them noticing the way the wooden floor was squeaking under the weight.

Then, after doing his Gai-like pose, Lee rushed out of the ancient house. Grinning, Naruto went after his friend, but his grin widened even more when a warm wind suddenly kissed his tanned cheeks. However, it was also then that Naruto blinked, and started looking around him, his smile vanishing for a second.

Curious…

"C'mon, Naruto-kun! Let's go explore!" Lee called out as he waved a hand in the air, and the blond looked at his friend before nodding. As he made his way towards the member of Team Gai, Naruto looked around one last time.

It was curious, but he could swear the wind had spoken to him when it had touched his face. And strangely enough, it had seemed as if the breeze had said _welcome home_.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Authoress Question: **Although some of you seem to be enjoying Hana's presence in the story, I have to ask you something. However, I must warn you in advance that the answer will not change what I have already planned for _Welcome Home_. Okay, so the question is; which pairing do you prefer (at least for this story): Shikamaru x Temari or Shikamaru x Hana? I also want to take the chance to thank those who answer this question, so…well, thank you!


	21. Pray for the Memorable Souls

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

When I finished writing the chapters related to Naruto and his team's mission, I was ecstatic. Some things I ended up writing about had not been planned, but I think that's exactly why I was so thrilled about it. Personally, I cannot wait to see how you guys are going to react. I am actually ready to be hunted down, or to be buried under questions. I just cannot help but want to find out how you guys will react to the next chapters. However, I must ask you to spare my life. I really want to finish this story (hehe).

For now, please, enjoy the new chapter.

Oh, silly me, I also want to leave here a special thanks to _**Negi Atsui**_, _**Da-Deranged-Dude**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**lil ramen lover**_, _**NiebieskiLis**_, _**ZaiFlare**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Chewie Cookies**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Shinako Hyuga**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**vash3055**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**xzotic**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**Amaleea**_, _**62635377**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**Torakage**_, _**lilusagi12**_, _**Xx Anti NaruxSaku xX**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**AnimeLover325**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**AtRENd**_, _**uzukun7**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _HoNdeR_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**elarhy**_, and _**Silvan Arrow**_. You guys really keep me going.

* * *

**Chapter 20**

_Pray for the Memorable Souls_

With a small grin, Choji walked out of the open door, holding a paper bag with his right hand. After talking to his father during breakfast, he had decided to prepare lunch just for him and Ino. Hopefully the girl would accept to spend her lunch hour with him. Choji could not even recall when their last date had been.

Happily, the member of the Akimichi Clan peeked at the things inside the bag, and mentally made a list of what he had to prepare. He was going to prepare uramaki, sashimi and oshi zushi. At first he had also planned to prepare some sweets, but when he recalled that Ino was currently going on another diet again, he put that idea aside.

Besides, Ino would most likely murder him on the spot if she found out he had even pondered about the idea of giving her sweets.

Now with a wide smile on his face, Choji started making his way towards his home. Perhaps he should go visit Ino at the hospital, and let her know about his plans? This way he could even let her know that he was the one cooking!

Chuckling to himself, the young man turned around on a corner, but and kept on walking, all of his thoughts focused solemnly on his unofficial girlfriend. Even though he had felt hurt by Ino's most recent behaviour, Choji could not help but ignore all of it. He persistently told himself that the fact Uchiha Sasuke was back was not as much of a threat as it used to be, and that he had to focus on conquering Ino once and for all.

However, before Choji had the time to actually come up with something else he could do to conquer the member of the Yamanaka Clan something caught his attention. Abruptly, Choji stopped walking, his widening eyes locked with the pair that was abandoning the Hokage's building.

"Ino…" Choji whispered as he watched the young woman walk through the doors, arm linked with non-other than Uchiha Sasuke himself.

As he grew numb, Choji lost his grip on the paper-bag, and let it fell to the ground, its contents rolling out of it and onto the ground. Not even once did he glance away from the couple that was standing a few meters away from him, completely oblivious of his presence.

Ino, Choji quickly noticed, had one of the widest and dazzling smiles he had ever since. In fact, he did not even recall seeing her smile like that ever since they started dating.

When Ino suddenly stepped in front of Sasuke, forcing him to stop walking, Choji unconsciously gave one step backwards. Then, another stop was given close followed by another, and before Choji knew what he was doing, he had already turned around on his heels. Then, as he closed his hands into tight fists, he started running as quickly as he could, groceries lying forgotten on the ground.

How stupid he had been for believing that someone like Ino would ever look at him. How foolish he had been for actually believing that someone as perfect as Ino would ever look at a guy like him…

How irrational…

"Oi Choji!" a familiar voice called out, but the member of the Akimichi Clan ignored his best friend call, and kept on running. In fact he had no intention to stop running…not until his heart stopped aching.

* * *

With watchful eyes, Lee glanced at the area around him, not seeing much of what could be behind the tall and thick trees. He seriously doubted that whatever they were supposed to find was there, but like Hinata had managed to say 'they ought to at least give it a try'.

With a small chuckle, Lee leaped to another branch, and continued looking around. Although he was quite focused in the task at hand, the young man could not help but think of his temporary team mates. It was true that he sometimes suffered of lack of common sense, but still that had not stopped him from noticing some peculiar changes in his new team mates.

And the biggest change he had spotted was the bond between Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata.

A grin slowly appeared on Lee's lips as he stood up on a strong branch, and started looking around. When he found nothing strange, he decided to jump to the ground, and continue his search by foot.

Lee guessed that Naruto had probably not even noticed those subtle changes, but then again, the blond did have an exuberant personality. The only thing Lee did not understand was what could have caused the two of them to grow so close. They had always been in different levels, being Hinata in a much higher position than Naruto, but still…

…But still something _had_ happened, and Lee could not help but be quite curious about it.

But who would be able to tell him about what was going on?

"Lee-san!" a voice called-out, and the ninja looked over his shoulder when his ears caught the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. "Lee-san, wait up!"

"Oh! Hana-san!" Lee exclaimed with a wide smile at same time he waved a hand in the air, "What's going on? Did Naruto-kun or Hinata-san manage to stumble on whatever we're supposed to find?"

"Ah, no, it's just that Naruto-kun was growing slightly irritated about the search, so I asked for Hina-chan to go give him a hand." Hana answered as she finally reached his side, and Lee raised an eyebrow at the explanation. "I mean, Hina-chan seems to have this ability of calming everyone around her down so I figured she could help Naruto-kun as well."

"Hana-san…" Lee started slowly, and the medical-nin titled her head slightly to the side as she waited for him to continue, "Is it possible that you might now what has happened between Naruto-kun and Hinata-san?"

The widened eyes answered the question.

"It seems to me like you do." Lee continued before he shifted closer to the kunoichi, and then he covered his mouth slightly with a hand almost as if he did not want anyone else to hear what he was about to say, "What happened between those two? I noticed they are behaving like they're best friends."

"I'm sorry, Lee-san, but I can't tell you." Hana apologized, but when Lee elbowed her slightly on the arm, she rested a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Lee-san, like you asked me not to mention to anyone what you tell me about Sakura-san, I can't say anything about what's going on between Hina-chan and Naruto-kun."

"Oh, that's right." Lee answered a few seconds later, and he shifted to his side again, "I guess it wouldn't be fair if you told me about them when you don't say anything about my feelings for Sakura-san to anyone else." Hana nodded, and Lee continued, "It's just that…well, I am happy to see that Naruto-kun and Hinata-san are finally getting along."

"Well, it wasn't too easy, I'll tell you that." the medical-nin informed him, "After all, you know how the Hyuuga Clan works, but…yes, I am quite happy to see that Hina-chan has finally managed to get closer to Naruto-kun."

"Although, he doesn't seem to be aware of their newfound bond," Lee added with a grin, and Hana let out a laugh before she nodded in silent agreement. "But anyway, what do you say if we go to the southern side of the village?"

"Ah, yes, I was going to tell you about that!" Hana exclaimed, and Lee blinked, "Hina-chan found what we believe to be the house of the most influential Clan of this village. I told her to go check it out with Naruto-kun while we'd check the rest of the houses."

"What do you mean with 'the house of the most influential Clan of this village'?" Lee repeated as he blinked in bewilderment, and Hana smiled lightly at him.

"Well, Hina-chan found it by using _Byakugan_ because the Compound was hidden behind trees and bushes." Hana started to explain as the two of them started walking towards the uninhabited village again, "Hina-chan described the house as being similar to Hyuuga's. That was why we thought it probably belonged to the strongest Clan."

"Ah, I understand." Lee replied with a short nod, "But I need to go back to the former topic again, if you don't mind." the medical-nin stared at him in confusion, "What about you, Hana-san? It has been a while since you mentioned Shikamaru-san."

"Oh, there's no point in talking about that now." Hana answered as she shook her head, and Lee titled his head to the side as he stared at her, "We ought to help Hina-chan and Naruto-kun in this search first, okay?"

"But Hana-san, just because we're exploring this place it doesn't mean we can't talk." Lee pointed out, "I, the Handsome Devil of Konohagakure, want to repay you for everything you've done for me so far! But how can I help you if you don't talk to me?"

"Lee-san, seriously, you don't need to do anything." Hana pressed the matter, but when the village appeared from behind a few trees she turned to him, and smiled, "Let's just do our best in this mission, okay?"

"Well, I gue—Wait, Hana-san!" Lee called out when the medical-nin suddenly started rushing towards the village. As he watched Hana run towards one of the houses, the young man let out a sigh.

Now, was it just him, or things were becoming quite upsetting?

"Lee-san!" Hana shouted from far, and the said ninja snapped from his thoughts only to notice that his female friend was standing close to one of the houses, hand in the air. "C'mon! Let's help Hina-chan and Naruto-kun!"

"Well, if you can't beat them, join them." Lee muttered to himself before he threw a punch in the air, a wide grin on his lips, "Yosh! I'll do my best in this mission, and luckily I'll finally be able to do what Gai-sensei does!"

Suddenly, Lee took off running towards Hana, his hand still in the air.

"Hana-san! Let's follow Gai-sensei's example!" he pretty much screamed, and the medical-nin made a strange face, "Let's glow with cool!"

"Oh dear…"

On the meanwhile, both Naruto and Hinata had finally reached to the fallen gate that lead to the Compound the girl had spotted minutes before. Although it had been slow, nature had managed to surmount that place for there was no inch of wall or wrecked window that was not covered with something green.

"This probably was a very impressive place years ago." Naruto commented as the two of them walked through the gate, and glanced around, silently taking in their surroundings. Hinata simply nodded in agreement, "I guess we should go inside. What do you say?"

"H-Hai," Hinata answered as she turned her head to gaze at the blond, who smiled at her, "Let's go."

Still smiling, Naruto made his way towards the front door, but when he rested a hand on the doorknob, a strong wind blew unpredictably. Abruptly, the young man stopped moving while Hinata stood behind him, looking inquisitively at him.

Unhurriedly, Naruto looked to his side, directly at a group of trees that existed on what had once been the garden, and closed his eyes. Once again it seemed as if the wind was talking to him…whispering muffled words that he had yet to decipher…

"Naruto-kun?"

"Huh?" was all the young man managed to say as he snapped from his trance, and looked over his shoulder only to stare directly at a confused-looking Hinata, "Oh, hehe, sorry about that. I was just…thinking about something."

"Naruto-kun let me use _Byakugan_ before you walk inside." Hinata requested right when the boy was about to turn the doorknob around and it was his time to look confused. The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan blushed at his inquisitive gaze, "I-I mean…this house doesn't look too safe, so…"

"Ah, Hinata, don't worry about that. I'm sure it will be fine!" Naruto exclaimed quite contently, and the girl went red at his wide grin. "Besides, what do you say if you check out the yard while I go inside? I promise if something happens, I'll just scream."

Hinata blinked and Naruto laughed at his own joke.

"B-But…"

"It's really okay." the male ninja continued, swiftly interrupting Hinata at same time he waved a hand in front of his face. "Besides, this way it will be quicker. I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?"

"Ah, but Naruto-kun…!" Hinata started to say as she raised a hand forward, but Naruto simply turned his back to her as he turned the doorknob, and pushed the door forward only to have it fall off at the unexpected shove.

A rumbling crash echoed throughout the surrounding space, and a flock of birds crossed the skies in scare. As he glanced at Hinata over his shoulder, Naruto let out a nervous laugh, and rested a hand behind his head.

"I better be careful inside, ne?"

Then, before Hinata had the chance to speak, Naruto turned to the entrance of the dojo, and walked inside, doing the best he could to ignore the squeaking wood underneath his feet. He sensed Hinata walk away seconds later, and Naruto took the chance to look around as he walked through the hall.

Oddly, the house was empty of any personal objects and the sunlight that was penetrating the half closed and smudged curtains on the left wall offered a peculiar sense of loneliness to the place. As he glanced around, Naruto gently pushed one of the curtains aside before staring outside through an unclean window.

After a few seconds, Naruto looked away from the window, and started walking towards the closest door only to blink when he stepped inside a living-room, where a sofa was covered by a long yellowish-white sheet. There was a fireplace in front of the sofa, which clearly had not been caressed by humorous flames for many years.

Carefully not to hit anything around him, Naruto walked towards the sofa, and caressed the aged sheet with the tip of his fingers. A shiver run down his spine at the contact, and the young man glanced around as he continued touching the sheet. There was nothing in that place; no pictures, no books on the bookshelves that were on the other side of the living-room…

Naruto had hoped to find at least something that could tell him something about the owners of that place. However, aside from dust, it seemed that there was nothing in that place that could give him at least the smallest of all hints.

A giggle tickled Naruto's ears, and the young man stopped moving, eyes widening at the sound. Had it been just him or the sound had come from inside the house? No, that could not be. Hinata had used _Byakugan_ when she had informed them that no one was currently living in that village.

Perhaps it had been Hinata who had giggled outside?

Scratching the side of his head, Naruto walked out of the living-room, but before he could walk away from the door, a new giggle caught his attention. Freezing, the ninja struggled to understand from where the sound was coming.

When silence was all that answered him, Naruto decided to go outside, and look for Hinata. Thankfully, it had taken him only a few minutes until he found the Hyuuga heiress behind the house, staring at some small yet colourful flowers.

"Look Naruto-kun, these are pansies." Hinata spoke up in her soft tone when she turned her head to look at him, and Naruto watched as her hair fell down her left shoulder, contrasting greatly with her face. "They mean 'merriment' and 'unspoken communication between lovers' in the language of flowers."

"Oh…"

A few seconds passed after Naruto's smart reply, and before the two ninja knew it, Hinata was looking down, trying desperately to hide her red cheeks while Naruto was looking away.

"I hum…Ano…can I help you, Naruto-kun?" Hinata finally asked, and the blond turned to her again before nodding.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you had…well, if you laughed a few minutes ago." Naruto started, and Hinata raised her head to stare at him, a pink shade still on her cheeks. "I think I heard someone giggle twice while I was inside so…"

"Hum no, I didn't laugh." Hinata replied as she shook her head slightly, and Naruto stared at her for a second before he scratched the side of his head.

"Maybe I imagined it." he muttered to himself, though still loud enough for Hinata to hear. Then, before the kunoichi could say a word, a stomach growling broke the silence, and Naruto blushed lightly, "Ah, sorry about that."

"Its okay, Naruto-kun, I'm actually…" Hinata was interrupted, this time by her own stomach complaining. A new fresh shade of red conquered her cheeks instantaneously while Naruto started laughing. "A-Ah, gomen nasai…"

"Why are you apologizing? It's fine." Naruto answered still laughing, and he extended a hand to help Hinata stand up since she had been crouching the entire time. "What do you say if we go meet up with Lee and Hana, and take a break for lunch?"

"H-Hai…" was all Hinata said in reply as she nervously raised a hand, and rested her palm on Naruto's. With a smile, the young man entwined his fingers with hers before pushing Hinata up with placidness. "I-I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Great! Let's go then!" Naruto exclaimed before he turned around, and he unconsciously started pulling Hinata along since he had yet to let go off the girl's hand. As the two of them walked down the empty village, a gentle wind started caressing their hairs, and once again Naruto felt a voice tickling his ears.

_Please, come again._

Confusedly, Naruto looked behind him, confusion swimming in the depths of his orbs as he struggled to ignore the strange sounds that appeared to be following him. He had even let go off Hinata's hand as he continued gazing over his shoulder.

"Hana-chan!" Hinata called out all of a sudden, her soft voice forcing Naruto to snap back to reality, and he glanced at the girl that was next to him before he stared ahead of him. Standing not too far from them were both Lee and Hana, the former one leaning against a wall of one of the houses.

"Great timing! We were just about to go look for you!" Lee commented with a grin, "What do you say if we take a break, and eat something? It does look like we'll need all energy to search for…well, for whatever it is that we need to find."

"Actually, we were thinking the same thing." Hinata answered with a faint blush on her cheeks, and she glanced at Naruto before gazing at Lee again. "I-I brought some things we can eat."

"Great!" Lee exclaimed, and before someone could say or do something, he sat down on the ground, Indian-style. "I need to admit I am a tad hungry."

"Ano, Lee-san, the food is still in our backpacks." Hana pointed out as she stared down at the boy, who stared back at her at those words. "Hum…And you do recall that we left our things in the house that we chose when we arrived, right? So…hum…"

"Oh yeah, silly me," Lee laughed as he stood up with a jump, and both Hinata and Hana blinked at his antics. "So, I guess I should say: follow me!"

"Wait! Lee-san!" Hana called out as the young man turned around, and started marching towards the house, and without looking behind her, the medical-nin went after him. Hinata was about to follow them when she noticed that Naruto had grown quiet during the conversation as he looked at some random spot behind him.

"Hum…Naruto-kun is…is everything all right?"

"Yeah…" the blond answered mind absently, and the heiress titled her head slightly to the side. Then, Naruto gazed at her, "I just need to go check on something. I'll meet you in a few minutes."

"Naruto-kun, are you sure everything's okay?" Hinata pressed the matter, in her usual tender and calm voice, and the young man nodded. When she understood that he was not going to say anything else, Hinata unconsciously started twiddling her fingers, "All right then. See you in a few minutes."

Nodding, Naruto turned his back to her, and started making his way towards the dojo he and Hinata had been observing a few moments before. For some reason, he could not help but feel as if something was pulling him to that ancient house mostly because of the fact he could not help but feel as if the wind was talking to him.

Good heavens, there was no way he could be going crazy, was there?

When Naruto was only a few meters away from the now inexistent front door, a harmonious sound reached his ears. As he stopped walking, the young man struggled to understand from where the sound was coming. In fact, how was it possible for him to be listening to music? There was no one in that village aside from his team!

Clenching his hands into fists, Naruto gritted his teeth, and stormed inside the dojo before he started glancing around. He had to focus. From where was the sound coming? Closing his eyes, Naruto took a deep breath, and allowed for the sad melody to encircle him until he finally understood from where the tune was coming.

As he glared at the back of the dojo, Naruto started running as fast as he could only to slow down when he finally reached the place from where the melody was coming. Still with both his hands closed into fists, Naruto glared at the closed shoji in front of him.

Now, Naruto new he could enter Sage Mode, but that would be disrespectful. After all, he had no reasons to doubt Hinata's _Byakugan_; if the girl had said no one else was there then she had been correct.

After a few seconds just listening to the gloomy melody, Naruto finally relaxed his right hand at same time he raised it towards the shoji. He had to see what could be producing such sound in order to be sure that he was not going mad.

As he continued looking angrily at the shoji, Naruto finally pushed it aside…

…And nothing had prepared him for what he saw.

Burgundy tresses danced around at the sudden puff of air that entered through the open shoji…

Ten sun-kissed fingers were playing with the strings of a _shamisen_…

A pair of forest-green coloured orbs turned to him.

For a long time Naruto just stared at the figure that was sitting on the floor, across from him, dressed as a miko. Gradually, the long burgundy locks succumbed to the lack of wind when the gentle breeze died down, and started caressing a sun-kissed face.

"W-What…?"

"Oh, you're finally here. I didn't expect you to return so soon." the woman greeted as she stopped playing the _shamisen_, and Naruto could not help but blink when the corner of her lips curled upwards into a smile. "Now, we can finally pray for the memorable souls."

"Who…?"

"All shall be explained soon." the woman interrupted him, the smile on her face never diminishing, but Naruto could not stop all sort of questions from popping inside his mind. "For now let me just say; welcome to the Land of the Whirlpool."

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q:** What on earth is Hana doing in the Land of the Whirlpool? Sakura is a medical-nin as well, and she didn't go. What's going on?

**A: **Well, first of all, I already posted an explanation (well, sort of) about why Sakura didn't go with Naruto and the others at the end of chapter 16 (_Goodbye to What Was Once Ours_) so I am going to skip that observation. As to why Hana's there, well, think of it this way; Naruto and the others were sent to an abandoned place. No one has been there ever since it was deserted, therefore, you can never be too careful, can you?

**Q: **Why on earth did you bother to ask us if we preferred Shikamaru x Temari or Shikamaru x Hana? At least half of the story was about Shikamaru and Hana for crying out loud! And that makes the ending pretty obvious!

**A: **I actually have a reason that explains why I added so much information about Shikamaru and Hana's relationship, and I also have another reason that clarifies why Temari did not show up sooner. You see, you already know how Shikamaru and Temari's relationship is. Their affiliation is obvious in the manga and anime. You don't need me to write chapters, and more chapters developing their relationship because they already have one, regardless if it's romantic or not. Now, Hana is my Original Character. Most of you never heard of her, which was why I had to show what kind of connection she has with Kishimoto's characters. I needed to show you what connected her to Shikamaru, and why they were friends. Also, you must recall that Temari only arrived at Konohagakure recently; I cannot have her (a strong-willed woman) suddenly falling for Shikamaru when there is no solid truth to support that kind of action (in the manga/anime). The same goes for Shikamaru. Just like I like to develop Naruto and Hinata's relationship, I enjoy doing the same with many other couples, and Shikamaru x Temari, Shikamaru x Hana are no different.

As for the final pairing, don't jump into conclusions. I like (to try) adding twists here and there, so give me time to continue with the story. I will keep all of your opinion in mind (the result was pretty much 50-50), and I'll try to make everybody happy.

Thank you for your attention.


	22. Unwrapping the Past

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am amazed. I am utterly speechless. I mean; 500 reviews? _Really?!_ Oh my gosh! I never expected this! I mean…I am so happy to hear that all of you have been enjoying Welcome Home so far, and your words truly keep me going, and…oh dear, I can only hope you'll enjoy this until the end.

So, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You guys are awesome! I love all of your ideas towards this story, and I esteem all of your opinions to the highest degree. So, although I've said this many times already, let me say this one last time; **thank you everyone for everything**.

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_Unwrapping the Past_

With a frown on his face, Shikamaru made his way through a rather crowded street. He was in a bad mood, although most people found it amazing to see that he was actually going through the trouble of getting mad at someone. However, there was something even more surprising in that situation. Oh yes, after all, Nara Shikamaru was angry at his team mate, Yamanaka Ino.

Shikamaru had been in the company of Temari, on their way to the Hokage's office, when he had spotted Choji standing a few feet away from them, staring at some random spot. When Shikamaru had just been about to call out for him, his plump team mate dropped the bag he had been holding only to turn around incredibly quickly moments later.

And then, all Shikamaru had been able to do was to call out for Choji's name while the member of the Akimichi Clan dashed down the road without looking behind him.

Of course that after seeing Ino walking around the corner with her arm linked with Uchiha Sasuke's moments later Shikamaru understood what had happened…

…And ignoring Temari, who had been observing him with a cautious look on her face, he turned around, and went after Choji.

"Damn that girl…" Shikamaru cursed under his breath as he shoved his hands inside his pants pockets, his frown deepening at each new step. "Man, I knew this was going to be a drag… Foolish girl…"

Still muttering things under his breath, Shikamaru made his way towards the Akamichi's residence only to be informed that Choji was not at home. With a sigh, Shikamaru apologized for bothering before he turned around, and started walking around the city. Where could Choji possibly be?

It was only after checking the barbecue and some of the training grounds that a thought crossed Shikamaru's mind, and the lazy ninja slapped himself on the forehead. The frustration he was feeling at the moment was so intense that he had forgotten to go search for Choji at the most important place of all.

Without wanting to waste any more time, Shikamaru twirled around, and walked at a fast pace towards the balcony where he and Choji used to spend some of their time together. Aside from Hana, no one went there; not even Ino seemed to be aware of that spot, which at the moment was practically a blessing.

When he finally reached the balcony, Shikamaru looked to his side, and let out an inaudible sigh when he spotted Choji lying down on a bench, an arm resting on his eyes. Carefully not to many any sound, Shikamaru made his way towards his friend, hands still stuck inside his pockets.

"Can I sit down?"

Choji said nothing nor did he move one single inch. Shikamaru knew that he was awake though, and that was why he decided to sit down next to his friend without uttering a word. He could practically sense Choji's uneasiness, and he could see that his friend preferred to be alone.

But it was not as if he could comply with that.

Instead, Shikamaru decided to stay in the same position, shoulders slouched in weariness as he stared at the sky, his eyes glancing at every cloud. Silence hovered around them for a long time, until a sigh abandoned a pair of lips.

"I knew this was going to happen, you know?" Choji finally asked, but Shikamaru simply continued staring at the clouds. "I always knew that when Sasuke returned, Ino would forget all about me, but…damn, I guess I was so excited when she agreed to go out with me that I…"

Shikamaru glanced sideways at his best friend, only to notice he was still in the same position.

"I was so stupid." Choji continued as he pressed his arm harder against his eyes, "I was so stupid to think that I actually had a chance. Heavens, I'm such an idiot for believing that even if Sasuke was back, Ino would still want to be with me."

Once again, Shikamaru chose silence over words, and simply listened as Choji spoke.

"I don't really blame her, though. I understand why she'd prefer to be with him rather than with me. I mean…there's really no comparison between us." Choji added with a bitter laugh, and Shikamaru mentally sighed. "But the most stupid of all was that I knew this was going to happen. I knew, and still…damn it, it hurts."

Gradually, Choji lowered his arm, and Shikamaru turned to him when he felt his friend's eyes on him.

"Do you think it was stupid of me to actually want to see if this could work?"

"No," Shikamaru answered after a short pause, and he glanced at the clouds again. There it was again…the tantalizing fragrance of gardenias… "You decided to be honest with yourself, and tell Ino about your feelings regardless of what could happen. That's not stupidity; the thing is that…there's simply no logic in love."

* * *

As she twiddled her fingers, Hinata glanced at the young man that was sitting across from her, staring unfocused at some random spot in front of him. When he had returned from whenever he had gone to, everyone had agreed that he looked utterly stunned, and Hana ended up supporting their worry after a quick examination.

Naruto was in shock…

…But why?

Hinata looked down at her twiddling fingers, and closed her hands into fists in an attempt to stop her habit. Perhaps if she had gone with him, she would be able to understand what had happened for Naruto to be in such condition. Maybe if she had told him that she was going with him no matter what, she would have been capable of aiding him…

Elegantly, Hinata stood up from her spot on the ground, and carefully made her way to Naruto's side. Lee had left, saying that their mission could not be stopped, and Hana was currently by the fire, preparing some tea for Naruto. And that left her to be by the blonde's side, trying to make him snap out of the trance.

But that was definitely easier said than done.

Timidly, Hinata sat down on her legs, a few inches away from Naruto. As anxiety started consuming her body, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan raised her eyes, and carefully observed Naruto's facial expression.

He looked so confused…so lost that all Hinata wanted was to wrap her arms around him, and…

"Na-Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out in an attempt to stop illusions from grasping all of her sense of reality, but the boy did not even move. Nervously, Hinata shifted closer to him, and raised a hand only to feel her heartbeat speed up with her fingers touched his shoulder. "Naruto-kun, did…did something happen?"

"Hinata…" Naruto finally whispered, still staring at some random spot in front of him, and the girl blinked at her name, "There…there really isn't anyone else in here aside from us, right?"

Even though she did not understand his question, Hinata still looked around them before muttering '_Byakugan' _under her breath. Quickly yet with vigilant eyes, the young woman observed the surrounding area, and moments later she deactivated _Byakugan_ before turning to Naruto.

"There is no one else here." she pointed out, and Naruto finally blinked his eyes at her statement. Slowly, he started turning his head towards her, and Hinata unconsciously started twiddling her fingers on her lap. "D-Did something happen, Naruto-kun?"

"There's no one here aside from us…" Naruto muttered, and the girl titled her head slightly to the side at the whisper. Then, he stared directly at her eyes, and Hinata could not help but feel her face warming up at same time her fingers froze. "Thank you, Hinata."

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan felt her heart skip a beat when a smile suddenly graced Naruto's features, blood rushing at full speed towards her already warm cheeks. Immediately, Hinata dropped her head, trying desperately to hide her blush, and she closed her eyes as she mentally screamed at herself to stay cool.

"You know, Hinata, I really miss you."

Hinata raised her head at those words, and her blush deepened when she noticed that Naruto was still staring at her, the smile still on his face. A gentle wind was now blowing, playing with their hairs, and Hinata simply found it impossible to look away.

"I really enjoyed sharing the apartment with you." Naruto continued, and Hinata felt her heart skip various beats at same time she struggled to not break the eye-contact, "When we go back…well, when we return, do you think…do you think you'll be able to go back to the apartment with me?"

For Hinata, everything went still after that question.

Destiny was such a cruel thing.

If things were different…if the circumstances were different then maybe she would have been able to nod her head while feeling as if she was about to faint.

Instead, all Hinata could do was lower her gaze, and recall everything that happened on the previous days. Things that Naruto was not aware of, and that yet had everything to do with him… Things that she ought to tell him, and yet her voice was failing her…

Her courage was failing her…

_Very well, this contract has been verbally sealed._

Hinata widened her eyes in realization when her father's voice echoed through her mind. That was it, was it not? That was the moment she had been trying so hard to escape from, but that had still managed to capture her.

Hesitantly, Hinata raised her pale orbs, and noticed that Naruto was still staring at her, his smile now smaller than before. Why? Why did destiny have to be so cruel? After everything they had went through…after everything they had lived and experienced…

_Do not disappoint me anymore, Hinata._

The young woman shielded her eyes with her hair as she looked down at her knees. A month ago she would have accepted Naruto's invitation, but now…after everything she had heard and spoken…was there really no escape?

Was she really doomed to tell Naruto all about the arranged marriage during that mission?

"Naruto-kun, I…" Hinata started, still without raising her head, but she knew that the blond was observing her. "There's something I…there's something I need to tell you."

"_Oi!" _

Hinata jumped at the sudden shout, and looked over her shoulder only to see Lee rushing towards them, a hand in the air.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, you finally decided to join us!" Lee exclaimed as he reached Hinata's side, a smile on his face, "Anyway, I didn't find anything. I'm starting to wonder if this mission actually has a purpose. I mean, I'm sure Hokage-sama wouldn't send us to an abandoned village without a reason, but still…"

"Lee-san, it's too early to give up." Hana declared as she appeared behind Naruto, holding a bottle with both her hands. Then, she made her way towards the blond, and handed him the container. "Drink all of this. You'll feel better in a few minutes."

"Eh? But I'm not sick…" Naruto commented, but he still raised a hand to grab the bottle.

"Hey, Naruto-kun, what did you see that shocked you to the point where you didn't even respond to us?" Lee asked as he rested a hand on his hip, "I mean, when you returned, you looked like a zombie! Hinata-san was really worried!"

"A-Ah, Lee-san!" the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan stammered as she turned to him, looking horrified at his announcement.

"Really? I worried you guys that much?" Naruto asked as he opened the bottle, and then he let out a nervous laugh. "Sorry, I really didn't mean to worry you. Just forget what happened. I think I was under the sunlight for too long, that's all."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Lee asked as he raised an eyebrow while Hinata and Hana shared a look.

"Really, just forget it." Naruto repeated before he rested the neck of the bottle against his lips, and took a long sip. When he noticed that the taste was not bitter, he raised the bottle even higher, causing everyone to widen their eyes at his antics.

"Naruto-kun, that's too hot!" Hana advised as she raised both her hands, but Naruto ignored her. After he was done, Naruto handed the medical-nin the empty bottle, and stood up only to rest a hand on his full stomach after he straightened up.

"Man, I don't know what you put in that tea, but I feel revived!" Naruto exclaimed as he smiled at Hana, who simply looked down at the empty bottle before she shook her head. "What do you guys say if we continue with the search? We can continue until sundown."

"Maybe you should stay here, Naruto-kun." Hinata recommended as she also got up from the ground, but she blushed when she noticed the look on the blonde's face. "I-I mean, you just recovered, and…and maybe…you should…"

"You're so sweet, Hinata!" Naruto interrupted the girl, a wide smile on his face, and the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan went red at his words. "But stop worrying! I'm fine now! Besides, we only have tonight to find whatever we're supposed to find."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Lee inquired, "Hana-san can stay with Hinata-san."

"Nah, we'll work faster if we're separated." Naruto pointed out as he shook his head, "Let's just make sure we're back to the camp by nightfall, okay?"

Everyone nodded at that, and Lee and Naruto wasted no time in returning to the centre of the village. Hinata and Hana, on the other hand, stayed behind for a few more minutes.

"Hina-chan," Hana called out as she put the empty bottle down, next to her things, her back to her friend, "you were about to tell Naruto-kun about the marriage of convenience, weren't you? Right when Lee-san returned?"

"H-How did you know?" Hinata asked as she turned to her friend, who looked back at her seconds later. "I-I…yes, I was going to tell him. He…Naruto-kun asked me to go back…to the apartment with him, and I…all I could think about was my father, and…"

"Hina-chan, when you tell him about everything…" Hana trailed off, and Hinata stared at her in expectation, "When you tell him about everything, tell yourself you're not doing it because of your father or even because of Sasuke-san. Remember that you're doing it for yourself."

"Hana-chan?" Hinata called-out in a whisper as she blinked in confusion, and the medical-nin suddenly smiled at her, "I-I…I will do my best."

"I know," Hana answered in reply, the smile still on her face, hands clasped behind her back, "Now, c'mon, let's go help the guys before they think this is a race between the two of them or something."

* * *

It was becoming slightly annoying how he would always end up at the porch of that house. No mater how far he went…no matter how focused he was in observing a particular spot, his mind would always recall what he had seen while his feet would involuntarily lead him back to the dojo.

And for the third time since he had started his search after lunch break, there he was, staring at the front door of the dojo…well, at the spot where the door was supposed to be anyway.

Crossing his arms against his chest, Naruto mentally debated with himself about what he was supposed to do. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he would always end up standing on the same spot so perhaps…perhaps he should go check the interior again.

"Besides it's not as if there's someone in there…" Naruto mumbled to himself as he frowned, but as soon as those words abandoned his lips, a familiar melody reached his ears. Almost instantly, the blond boy let out a defeated sigh, "Crap."

Carefully, Naruto approached the main entrance of the dojo, and stepped inside before he decided to follow the tune. Once again, he found himself approaching the same room where he had seen the hallucination, and Naruto gulped when he stopped in front of the closed shoji.

Had he not let it open when he had ran away from there?

As he struggled not to recall those details, Naruto rested a hand on the shoji, the song still emanating from the interior of the room. Then, as he closed his eyes, the young man pushed the shoji aside, and the tune faded away with the wind.

There was nothing in there. There was nothing in there.

"Oh, you came back."

Naruto opened his eyes wide at the observation, and stared at the interior of the room only to find the same strange woman sitting formally on a pillow, her hands holding the _shamisen_ tenderly against her chest.

"Please, restrain yourself from running away again." the woman continued, but Naruto simply stood frozen outside the room, his eyes locked with hers. Was it just him or there was actually amusement swimming in the depths of the woman's green orbs? "I promise I don't bite."

"W-What…? W-Who…?"

"My name is Sorano Tanaka, and I'm a kunoichi from Land of the Whirlpool." the woman introduced herself, and Naruto mutely watched as she put the _shamisen_ carefully on the floor before she tapped the empty space next to her. "Please, sit down. I'd like to ask you something."

After a short and hesitant nod, Naruto stepped inside the room, and sat down in front of the strange woman. Unconsciously, he crossed his arms against his chest in a defensive position, and tried to ignore the smile that graced the woman's face seconds later.

"What reason brings you to this Land?" Tanaka inquired, as she folded her hands on her lap, and Naruto thought for a moment before answering.

"Tsunade-baachan asked us to come here to look for something." Naruto paused for a second, and raised his right hand to his chin in thought, "Though she never told us what we're supposed to look for. We actually only have tonight to find whatever we're supposed to find before we go back."

There was a short pause, and Naruto took the chance to continue.

"Actually if you don't mind me asking, how is it possible for you to be here?" he inquired as he raised an eyebrow lightly, "Even though Tsunade-baachan told us that this was a deserted village, Hinata still used her _Byakugan_, and reassured us that no one else was here."

"Do not torture yourself with such details when you have so many things to learn." Tanaka advised, her faint smile never fading, and Naruto blinked at her reply. "Instead, allow me to ask you one question. Do you know the story behind this forsaken village? It is a story of anguish and love."

"Hum, no, I didn't know this village actually had a story." Naruto confessed, a tad embarrassedly, but the woman simply continued smiling kindly at him. "But…is there any particular reason why you mentioned it?"

"Why yes, and I would love to tell you about it! It is a very important story, and I am sure it will help you in the future." Tanaka replied, and Naruto titled his head slightly to the side, not really understanding what that was supposed to mean. "It is a story about a tomboy girl from this village and a legendary man from Konohagakure. It is a story about the red string of fate."

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Authoress Note:**I must inform all of you that the next chapter will be entirely about a flashback. Call it a filler if you want, I personally prefer to say it's a chapter that deals with past memories. However, that doesn't change the fact it's a rather important chapter. In my opinion, I loved writing it, and I can't wait to show it to you. Hopefully, you'll agree. See you later everyone, and thank you for the attention.


	23. The Red String of Fate

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, I only own my own characters and the plot.

* * *

Here it is! Another favourite chapter of mine! I really enjoyed writing this. I actually got the idea for this chapter after I re-read my one-shot _Starless Departure_. This is also one of the longest chapters I have written so far, being it eleven pages long. I guess excitement got the best out of me (hehe). Anyway, I hope you like it. Also, thank you dearly for your reviews about the last chapter. I am quite happy to see that most of you accepted Sorano Tanaka's presence; I must admit I was a tad worried about it. Thank you for the attention!

* * *

**Chapter 22**

_The Red String of Fate_

* * *

The red string of fate, also referred to as the red thread of destiny, red thread of fate (and by other variants) is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend. According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red string around the ankles of men and women who are destined to be soul mates and will one day marry each other. According to Chinese legend, the deity in charge of "the red thread" is believed to be Yuelao, the old lunar matchmaker god who is also in charge of marriages.

_"An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,  
regardless of time, place, or circumstance.  
The thread may stretch or tangle,  
but it will never break."  
- _An ancient Chinese belief

The two people connected by the red thread are said to be destined lovers, regardless of time, place or circumstances. It is said that this magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break. This myth is similar to the Western concept of soulmates or a twin flame. The legend has since also became a popular myth in Japanese culture and other East Asian cultures. (1)

And it is because of this red string of fate that things started going downhill, affecting the great community named Konohagakure, the Village Hidden among Tree Leaves, and the independent entity, Land of the Whirlpool…

* * *

"We should focus on improving relationships with nobles and other influential people since the commoners are feeling too disconnected with the Clan." an old man declared as he stood up from his chair, facing a long, round table. "Through uncertainty and lack of trust, the commoners have lost all their vitality and ambition."

"Indeed, we should not focus in the commoners. They are powerless when it comes to protect the Land." another aged man spoke up as he also got up from his seat, "We must improve our connection with other Lands. By doing such, we will be protected when something happens."

"Ah, but you forget that if the commoners do not trust us, they will never do anything to help us in the future." a third member announced as he grasped a paper that had been lying on the table in front of him, "This Land depends greatly on its workers. If they are not content with their leader, then we must do something to change the idea they have of us."

A pair of viridian eyes glanced around the council, concern emerging from their depths as words continued to be thrown back and forth. Things were definitely not going well, and yet everyone was doing their best to conceal their apprehension behind their elegant poses and strong voices.

Five fingers started to lightly drum against the hard surface of the table, but all that went unnoticed as the discussion proceeded. The owner of the viridian coloured orbs eventually looked to the end of the table, and stared at the silent figure that continued occupying the most important seat.

Was he not going to speak?

Was he simply going to stay in his seat, listening to the counsellors, and not speak his mind at all?

"Forget the commoners! We should try to contact the Land of Fire! That is one of the largest and most powerful countries, and they could look after us!"

Hypocrites; all they wanted was to save their own lives, without caring about the rest of the Land. As long as they were all right, living among lavishness and wealth, they did not care about anything else, but at the sight of the smallest of all threats they would do their best to protect themselves even at the cost of other people's lives.

The pair of viridian eyes continued locked with the quiet silhouette.

It was his fault, and everyone knew it, although no one wanted to admit it out loud. On contrary of what most people thought, being a Daimyo was no easy job. Betting vast amounts of money on ninjas to win against each other and hiring people to threat or even bribe one of the combatants to let the opponent win requited a lot of preparation and stratagems.

However, sometimes even the brightest of all plans could go wrong, and unfortunately Land of Whirlpool had been beaten by Daimyo of other countries so persistently that their finances became both unstable and fragile. And no matter how hard they had tried to keep their vulnerability in the shadows; at the end it had been impossible to hide the secret from their people.

"What will you do if we're attacked before we're able to talk to Kage-sama? We would need help from the commoners!"

"We should send a messenger to the Land of the Fire immediately!"

"Oh, we should focus our attention on our people before contacting other Countries!"

"No, we should get in touch with the Kage from Konohagakure! We should send someone straight away!"

"I'll go!"

Everyone went quiet when those last words were uttered. Ten pair of eyes turned to the speaker, but the young woman who had just spoken simply stood up from her seat, and stared at all the members of the council.

"Although it is of major importance to re-establish our tie with the commoners, it is also of great importance for us to rebuild ties with the aristocracy and those with influence. We must collaborate with them to improve our government." she stated, and it was only then that she stared at the Daimyo. "Only then we'll be truly capable of offering stability to our people again, and thus give them reasons to trust in us once more."

"Uzumaki-san, please, this isn't the place for you to speak of such matters." one of the members of the assembly finally said, "I am aware that you understand some of these matters, but the overall importance of them…you are not the right person to judge our situation."

They dared to demean her?

"Actually," a hoarse and strong voice echoed from the other side of the table, and everyone turned to their leader only to observe as he pushed his chair backwards before standing up, "to send Kushina to Konohagakure may be a nice idea."

"Daimyo-sama!" various voices chorused, but the man ignored them all as he rested his green eyes on the only woman in the room.

"She has what it takes to talk to the Hokage. I am sure she'll be able to convince him to give us a hand." the Daimyo continued, as he ignored those who struggled to grasp his attention, "After all, she is not my daughter for nothing."

Uzumaki Kushina could not help but roll her eyes at that observation.

After spending another half an hour listening to the members of the council trying to explain why she was not the best candidate to be sent to the Land of the Fire, Uzumaki Kushina was finally allowed to abandon the room. Although irritation was pumping through her veins, the young woman still managed to smile and salute back those who greeted her as she walked past them.

In a desperate attempt to calm down, Kushina focused her attention on the mission at hand. She was to leave to Konohagakure at dawn, and she was only to return home after contacting the Hokage. Hopefully she would be able to convince him to assist her people; Kushina had heard wonders about Sarutobi Hiruzen, but what she liked about him the most was the fact that accordingly to most people Hiruzen served as a source of wisdom, constantly passing on the things he had learned to the next generation.

As she tried to recall the man's face, Kushina stepped inside her house, and made her way to her bedroom. She had only seen Sarutobi Hiruzen once, when she had been about ten years-old, and not even then she had paid much attention to him for being too interested in exploring Konohagakure on her own.

Kushina opened the door of her bedroom before closing it behind her, and she silently made her way towards her closet before pausing for a second. There were actually two people she recalled quite well, even though she had also only met them once.

Two members of the so-called Team Jiraiya…

The first member was one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, and the teacher of the team. Although she had not talked directly to him, Kushina had found his personality a tad revolting. Even at the age of ten, she had been quick to grasp the fact that he was a pervert, and she had been proved right when Jiraiya had introduced himself by saying "I'm not a little pervert…I'm a big one".

After that presentation, Kushina had done everything within her will power to constantly remind herself that there had to be a reason that explained why he was one of the three Sannin.

And then there was the owner of the most alluring azure eyes Kushina had ever seen. Not that she would ever admit that out loud, of course. The boy who had welcomed her with the sweetest of all smiles, and an outstretched hand… Kushina recalled his face and name perfectly; Namikaze Minato, the smartest and kindest boy she had ever met.

But then again, that was simply another thing she would never confess out loud for as long as she lived.

With a faint smile on her face, Kushina opened the right door of her closet, and stared directly at the mirror that was on the other side of the door. She had never bothered glancing at her reflection before, but for some reason, Kushina had been unable not to inspect her figure on that moment.

Without tearing her eyes away from the mirror, Kushina grasped her hair with her right hand, and pulled it up in a high-ponytail. Even if she wore it like that her red tresses would still reach her lower back while shorter bangs caressed the side of her cheeks. Making a face, Kushina released her hair before she turned to her clothes.

That was not the time to be gawking at herself; she had to be ready if she wanted to leave early in the following morning.

* * *

Two days; that was how long it had taken her to arrive to the outskirts of the famous Konohagakure, and Kushina could not be more relieved. With a bit of luck the Hokage had already been contacted about her arrival; if he had, then her stay in that village would be cut short, and that would be great.

With a faint smirk on her face, Kushina put her hitai-ate on top of her head, her long and smooth tresses covering most of it as they fell down her back. Then, as she raised her head high in the air, the young woman from the Land of the Whirlpool made her way towards the Southern Gates.

The first thing Kushina noticed was that her Land was nowhere near Land of Fire's amazing landscape and state, just like her village was most likely never going to even look slightly alike to Konohagakure. However, regardless of all those facts, Kushina could not help but think she would never trade her village for nothing in the world.

Besides, although she had only stepped inside Konohagakure five minutes ago, Kushina was already feeling extremely hot. She would never feel such high temperatures back in her village, mostly thanks to all the rivers and whirlpools that surrounded it.

'_Well,' _Kushina thought as she continued observing her surroundings as she walked, _'you can't win them all.'_

As she wandered around through the roads, trying to figure out where exactly Hokage's building was, Kushina could not help but observe the way everyone around her was behaving. Aside from those who would occasionally stop whatever they were doing to watch her, most people were jovially greeting each others, most of them with wide smiles on their faces while children could be seen running around, laughing as they went.

Her village had once been like that as well, but unfortunately after everything that had happened, laughter had become something that only belonged to memories. Instead of mirth and joyfulness, there was only discontentment and revulsion.

As she recalled the reasons why she had decided to go to Konohagakure, Kushina automatically clenched her hands into tight fists. It was up to her now; to do something to stop a rebellion from happening, and perhaps to even prevent an invasion.

'_But where's the da—'_ Kushina's thoughts were interrupted when something hard collided against her. Blinking, the young woman looked down in time to see a black haired boy fall on the ground, a pair of ski mask-like pair of goggles over his eyes.

"Ouch man! That hurt!" the boy complained as he sat down on the ground, rubbing his side, and Kushina stared at him for a moment before she crouched down in front of him.

"You should pay attention to where you're heading all the time." she pointed out, her arms crossed over her knees, and the boy stared at her as he continued rubbing his lower back. "Are you alright?"

"Hum…" the boy muttered, and Kushina could not help but mentally smile when a pink hue appeared on his cheeks, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about that. Did I hurt you?"

"Hardly," Kushina answered, and she elegantly stood up, red curls caressing her face since a rather lukewarm wind was now blowing softly, "Can you stand up?"

"Oh, yeah…" the boy quickly answered, and he unsteadily got up from the ground, a hand still resting on his lower side. "I'm an Uchiha. It takes more than a fall to hurt me for real."

Kushina had to stop herself from laughing at his antics.

"Well, since you're alright, can you tell me where I can find the Hokage's building?" Kushina decided to ask, and the boy blinked at her question before he stepped to his side, and pointed ahead.

"Just go this way, and you'll find Yamanaka's flower-shop. Once there, you just have to turn left. You can't really miss it." he declared, and this time Kushina did allow for the corner of her lips to curl upwards.

"Thank you." was all she said in reply, but the boy simply smiled back at her, the faint pink shade still on his cheeks. Without saying anything else, Kushina walked past him, and watched as a dark reddish brown haired girl zoomed past her screaming 'Uchiha Obito!' close followed by a quiet boy with spiky silver hair.

Only the silent boy gazed back at her with his black orbs, his face blank of any expression.

Thanks to the directions of the boy, Kushina quickly found the building she was looking for. Without wishing to waste any more time, the young woman pushed the front door, and walked in only to breath in relief when she noticed it was cooler inside.

"Excuse me," a voice came from her left, and Kushina turned her head to her side only to see a young man approaching her, "may I help you?"

"I'd like to talk to the Hokage." Kushina summarized, without wanting to waste anymore time. "I am sure he is expecting me. A letter was sent, informing him about my arrival."

"I am not sure if Hokage-sama is in his office, but I can go check it. Would you like to follow me?" the man asked, and Kushina simply nodded before she went after him since he had abruptly turned around, and walked towards a staircase.

As soon as she reached the top of the stairs, Kushina watched as the man walked through an open door, and she quickly went after him. It surprised her though, when she stepped inside only to notice that she was now in a waiting-room.

"Could you please wait here for a moment?" the man asked as he motioned to the chairs with a hand, but Kushina simply continued staring at him. "I will go and see if Hokage-sama is here. Could you please tell me your name?"

"It's Uzumaki. Uzumaki Kushina."

Ten minutes after she had introduced herself, Kushina was growing irritated; she doubted that building was a maze, so why on earth was taking the man so long to return? She could not waste time like that. Her village needed her help!

"Ah! Why am I constantly surrounded by idiots?" Kushina growled under her breath as she stood up from her chair, her hands closed into fists, and she practically marched towards the door.

Ignoring everyone who glanced her way, Kushina made her way out of the waiting-room, and made her way towards the staircase she had spotted on the right side of the hall. Quickly, Kushina made her way up the stairs, but she stopped before she reached the top when a voice called out from behind her.

"Uzumaki-san!" it was the young man that had approached her before, "Uzumaki-san, about Hokage-sama, h—Oh, look out!"

"What?" was all Kushina had time to utter before she looked to the top of the stairs only to see a pile of papers appearing in front of her. Yelping, the young woman moved backwards, momentarily forgetting that she was almost at the top of the stairs.

Closing her eyes, Kushina prepared herself for the fall, but she gasped when something warm grabbed her by the wrist. The sound of papers falling forced her to gradually open her eyes, and the first thing Kushina saw were papers swirling in the air around her before falling onto the floor.

"Are you alright?" a deep voice questioned all of a sudden, and Kushina tried to ignore the shiver that run up her spine by focusing her attention on the five fingers that were wrapped around her wrist. Slowly, the young woman's eyes started travelling up a strong arm before they gazed at a shoulder, and then…

Dear heavens, such stunning azure tint should be illegal!

"Yes, I'm fine." Kushina managed to say as she took in the man's long blond hair before she was forced to snap from her daze when the man gently pulled her forward so that she could stand without help. "I would be better if you hadn't shown up so silently."

"I apologize, I really couldn't see anything because of all the documents." the man replied before he bent down on one knee, and started gathering the papers. With a sigh, Kushina mimicked his actions, "Oh, you don't need to help me. It was my fault."

"If you truly didn't see me, how can it be your fault?" Kushina asked as she raised an eyebrow, and glanced at him before she looked down when the man raised his eyes to look at her, "Besides, take this as a sign of my appreciation for stopping my fall."

The man simply chuckled in reply, and Kushina had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. After she finished collecting all the documents, Kushina stood up, and watched as the man got up as well.

"Here, this makes us even." Kushina stated as she handed the man his documents, and once again she tried to ignore the shiver that run up her spine when the man suddenly smiled at her. Heavens, she did not even know him, and yet there she was, behaving like a thirteen year-old girl.

"You are not from the Land of Fire." the man commented all of a sudden as he grabbed the papers, and added them to his already tall pile, and Kushina nodded. "May I ask you from where you are and what you're doing here?"

"I am here because I need to talk to the Hokage." Kushina immediately answered, "It is vital that I talk to him as quickly as possible. Speaking of which, do you know where I can find his office? I have been waiting long enough for someone to take me there."

"Oh? May I inquire what's so important that you cannot even wait for fifteen minutes?" the man asked as he raised an eyebrow slightly, and Kushina had to stop herself from being rude. What was wrong with her not being able to wait fifteen minutes? Her Land could suffer a major hindrance in fifteen minutes!

"Listen, I don't know who you are and I don't know what your post is, but I do not have to tell you the reasons why I came here." Kushina heatedly stated, "I merely asked if you could tell me where I can find the Hokage. If you do not know, then tell me so. The quicker you tell me, the quicker we'll be able to leave."

Heavens, the man's stare was beginning to get to her. His perfectly arched eyebrow was the clear indication that he was still curious about her presence in Konohagakure while enjoyment was emerging from the depths of his eyes. It was obvious that he was teasing her, and that was beginning to irritate her.

Why did single man have to be gay, taken or so freaking irritating Kushina did not know, and she would not bother to find out why. But then again, she did not even know if the man before her was single or not. She guessed he probably was not; after all, regardless of his irksome personality, he was still extremely handsome, and thus making it impossible for him to be single, a—

"Hokage-sama, I apologize." a voice spoke up from behind Kushina, swiftly interrupting the woman's thoughts. Moments later, the shinobi from Konohagakure that had addressed to her by the entrance of the building appeared next to Kushina. "I was looking for you, to ask if you could meet with Uzumaki-san, and—"

As the man continued to ramble, Kushina widened her eyes in shock. Slowly, almost hesitantly, she focused her attention on the blond man that was still holding the high pile of papers with both his hands. Unconsciously, she started roaming her eyes up and down his profile before she titled her head to the side.

Something wrong was going on. How could that man be the Hokage? Accordingly to her memories Sarutobi Hiruzen had to be in his early fifties, and the man before her surely could not be any older than herself…

"Excuse me," Kushina blurted out before she could stop herself, her eyes still locked with the blonde's figure, and both men turned to her, "Who are you?"

"Oh I apologize, my name is Namikaze Minato." the blond introduced himself, the corner of his lips curling upwards in another killing smile, and Kushina had to restrain herself from blushing, "I am Konohagakure's Fourth Hokage."

'_Oh crap' _was the only thought that crossed Kushina's mind.

* * *

She absolutely loved to watch him sleep.

The look on his face resembled to one of a child since peacefulness was all that emanated from his body. The sunbeams that were now caressing his light-coloured locks and turned his porcelain skin into the most beautiful shade of radiant white made him look almost angelic. And his gorgeous blue eyes only aided him into look so divine.

Unfortunately, she was never going to admit that out-loud. It was not as if he needed to be reminded of his looks; there were plenty of women who did that every single day by incessantly glancing his way whenever he crossed their path.

Chuckling, Kushina raised a hand, and run her fingers though his locks before smiling when the sleeping man grunted something under his breath. She absolutely loved to spend those minutes simply watching him, feeling fortunate for having been chosen to be the one who would look after him forever.

Oh, but how bothersome had been the path both of them had been forced to tread in order to reach the situation they were now enjoying. So many choices had been forced to be made…so many experiences they had been obliged to survive to…so many goodbyes they had been obligated to utter…

Gradually, Kushina's smile was replaced by a frown, and she involuntarily stopped running her fingers through the blond locks. Almost two years ago her village had been nearly whipped out, and all because of the thoughtless council. Her father had been of no help either, for he had foolishly ignored the already delicate bonds between his Clan and the commoners, and continued with his bets.

The commoners, having no trust and no hope for the future, had decided to attack the Daimyo and the council in a desperate attempt to find console, and perhaps even just a little bit of the stability they had once known. Unfortunately, at same time the commoners had started their rebellion; other Hidden Villages had decided to invade her Land. At the time, Namikaze Minato had already agreed to aid her, but regrettably, in order not to go into war with other Lands, there had been little to nothing that could be done.

Although it had nearly killed her to make such decision, Kushina had still managed to raise her head high, and tell Minato that it was all right to let her Land fall. It was time for the Land of the Whirlpool to be punished, and after debating it with Minato, it had been decided that Whirlpool could no longer work as an independent entity.

That decision had lead to many of the commoners to find exile in other Countries, while the Daimyo decided to put an end to his own life. And to be frank, Kushina had never expected for her father's death to affect her as much as it had.

_It was for the best _had been the only thing Kushina had been able to say at the time, and she still thought that way. Occasionally she would find herself thinking that perhaps she should return to her Land, but every time she glanced at Minato, al those thoughts would vanish from her mind.

It was not as if she could abandon him now, anyway; not when he had went through some extremely agonizing experiences as well.

Silently, Kushina gazed at Minato's sleeping face again, her frown deepening as she recalled what had happened six months before. At the time, Minato's team had received a mission to go and destroy a supply bridge to prevent a Rock village invasion of the Land of Grass. As any other mission, they were attacked, but Minato had managed to protect them until he was forced to temporarily leave the team for an urgent mission, thus leaving his students by themselves.

No one had predicted what happened afterwards.

After Minato's departure, two Rock ninja tried to ambush the team, and succeeded in kidnapping Rin, the only girl of the group. After she was abducted, both Obito and Kakashi, the two boys, had argued about if they should or not go after the Rock ninja, and their decision resulted in Obito going after his friend, in order to try to save her while Kakashi stood behind.

The awfulness of the mission followed that breakup.

Shortly after Obito had arrived at the location where Rin was being held, one of the Rock ninja sensed him, and tried to kill him. However, Kakashi, who at the end had decided to follow his friend, ended up saving Obito, but lost his left eye while doing so. When he noticed the condition his friend was in, Obito managed to activate _Sharingan_ for the first time, and used it to kill the two ninja from the Rock Village.

Unfortunately, none of the boys had sensed a third Rock ninja that caused a cave-in, trapping Obito under several rocks while saving Kakashi. All of his right side had been crushed, but ignoring the fact that he was slowly dying, Obito had still managed to ask Rin to use her _Eye Transplantation Technique_ to implant his remaining _Sharingan_ eye into Kakashi's damaged left eye socket.

After the implantation, Kakashi managed to defeat the third Rock ninja before realizing that he had to take Rin because the enemy reinforcements were arriving. As Kakashi carried his female teammate away, both of them were forced to watch as the cave collapsed, burying Obito under tons of rocks.

"Kushina…" Minato mumbled as he turned to face her, his arms wrapping around his pillow, and the woman snapped from her thoughts at her name. After glancing at him, Kushina's frown disappeared, and she focused her attention this time on her belly.

The fact Minato's team had been shattered was not the only reason why she refused to leave his side…

Instinctively, Kushina rested her hand on her stomach; she wondered how Minato was going to react at the news.

"What are you doing awake?" a groggy voice questioned, and Kushina turned her head to her side, the smile still on her lips, "And why do you look so happy? It's seven in the morning. I doubt there's a good reason to look so joyful at this hour."

"Why don't you wake up, and I'll tell you?" Kushina asked back, but Minato simply sighed, and wrapped his arm around her since she had her back against the headboard. "Honestly, why did I decide to marry such lazy man?"

"It's too late to complain now." Minato muttered as he shifted closer to her so that his face was inches away from her side, "But why don't you sleep for a few more minutes? I don't feel like getting up."

"Do you ever feel like getting up?" Kushina inquired as she raised an eyebrow slightly, and Minato finally opened his eyes in order to glance inquisitively at her. "And don't look at me like that. If you don't sit up, I won't tell you something good."

"It's in moments like these that I wonder why I married such a bossy woman…" Minato complained, but he still sat up on the bed, and allowed for the white sheet to fall down, revealing his naked torso.

Kushina forced herself to look away in order to hide her blush.

"So, what is that you want to tell me?" Minato asked, and when Kushina rested her eyes on his form again, she had to stop herself from giggling as she watched him rub his sleepy eyes. Even after three years with him, she still had to discover how on earth Minato managed to look so damn sexy and adorable at same time without even trying.

"Well, I was actually planning on waiting a while longer, but after everything that has happened; I thought you deserved to hear something good for a change." Kushina started as she continued staring at Minato, who was now looking back at her with curiosity. "However, now that I'm actually thinking about it, I am not even sure if I should tell you about it."

"Oh no, you didn't force me to get off my bed for nothing." Minato pointed out, and Kushina titled her head to the side at his comment.

"In case you haven't noticed, you're still in bed." she stated, and the man shrugged.

"Details," he said before waving a hand in front of his face almost as if he was dismissing the subject, "Please, continue."

"When is Jiraiya going to return to Konoha?" Kushina questioned, and Minato blinked at her question. Then, he rested his chin on the palm of his right hand, and thought about it for a second before he glanced sideways at her.

"Are you thinking about trading me for my sensei?"

Kushina stared at him for a moment, processing what he had just said before she let out a sigh.

"Oh yes, I've just realized that I should have married Jiraiya instead of you. I mean, a pervert is exactly what I need to make me feel special." she replied, each word filled with sarcasm, and Minato chuckled at her behaviour. "But if you keep on saying that I will seriously start thinking about it."

"Hey, hey, it's too late to go back on your word now." Minato declared, "You are stuck with me, so you better tell me what happened for you to be this cheerful or I won't let you leave this bed."

"Such a dangerous threat," Kushina commented as she shook her head, but Minato simply continued staring at her, "Oh fine, I was just thinking that Jiraiya would probably be the best godfather one could ask for."

"Godfather?" Minato repeated as he raised an eyebrow, and Kushina nodded in reply, "Why on earth do you want Jiraiya to be someone's godfather? It's not as if we have the right to decide that."

"See? It's a wonder why I accepted to marry you." Kushina proclaimed, but Minato simply titled his head to his right in confusion, "Haven't we debated already that if we were ever to have a child, Jiraiya would be the baby's godfather?"

"Yes, I remember that discussion." Minato agreed with a hesitant nod, "Because if something happens to us, Jiraiya will undoubtedly raise the baby, and take care of him. But why are you bringing this up now?"

"Baka…" Kushina mumbled under her breath, but when once again Minato blinked at her, she rolled her eyes, "What interest would I have in bringing this up if it wasn't for the fact that I am pregnant?"

Silence was all that followed her words as Minato simply continued staring at her, head still titled to the side.

"Who's pregnant?"

Kushina mentally sighed at his question, but the look he had on his face was so cute she could not help but answer.

"Me."

"And who's the father?"

"I won't dignify that question with an answer." Kushina immediately answered as she crossed her arms against her chest, and looked away, "Honestly, Minato, if you're not interested in having children right now just te—"

Abruptly, two strong arms wrapped around her torso, and Kushina could not help but melt when her face leaned against a well-built chest. Closing her eyes, she took in her husband's scent, and smiled when she felt him move his lips closer to her ear at same time he pulled her red tresses away from her face.

"Thank you." was all he whispered, but Kushina knew that he was struggling to control himself, and not scream out how excited he was. Then, Minato rested a hand underneath her chin, and titled her head up so that the two of them could stare into each other's eyes. "I love you, Kushina."

The kunoichi from the Land of the Whirlpool was about to say that she loved him back when she felt a hand pressing against her stomach. All thoughts abandoned her mind as she felt Minato caressing her belly, and she gently placed a kiss on his neck.

"I'm sure he's going to be just like you," she whispered as she rested her head on Minato's shoulder, and watched as he continued running the tip of his fingers up and down her stomach, "And I couldn't ask for more than that."

**To Be Continued…**

1 – This information was taken from _Wikipedia._

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**Question: **What do you guys prefer; AU _Naruto_ stories (like real-life based fics) or Shinobi-world _Naruto_ stories (like most fics that exist on this site)? I know this question is totally random, but it has been bugging me for a while, and thus I decided to ask it now. Thanks in advance to those who answer this question.


	24. The Sadness of a Wrecked Heart

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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Oh dear Lord (blinks in amazement). _600?!_ Is this for real? I am…I am speechless! I mean…so much support, so many helpers…I am so grateful! I am so happy for having so many people helping me writing this story! Really! I swear I will do my best to finish this story because you guys really deserve it! Due to work I don't have much free time to write, but I will do my best to keep up with the updates. All I have to do is actually try to finish chapter twenty-eight (where I got stuck), and I will do my best to keep going.

So, thank you everyone…from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for always being there, and for always giving me the shove I need to keep on writing. I know this is not much, but I am so, so happy that 'thank you' is the only thing that comes to my mind in order to show you even just a glimpse of my appreciation.

Thank you everyone!

* * *

**Chapter 23**

_The Sadness of a Wrecked Heart_

_There are people waiting for our return. The will to live is stronger than anything else. And I am going to take you back home!_

An eyebrow twitched…

_Why do you care so much if I live or not? Don't act as if I don't know what people say about me. They say I have become obsessed with the idea of being the strongest…they say I have become insane since all I could ever think of was about killing my brother… People say that I have crossed the line between good and evil a long time ago. Some even say I'm a murderer fighting for chaos._

_Idiot__! You have not become a murderer! If you had given yourself to chaos then I would have died years ago when we faced each other! You toned down your attack, and that proves that you are still a human!_

A groan escaped from a pair of lips…

_I swear that even if your body is controlled by chaos, I believe in your heart! I know you're trying to stay human! Don't you even dare to say I don't care if you live or die! I am going to bring you back!_

Frowning, a pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of onyx-black orbs. For a moment, Sasuke just continued staring at the trees in front of him before he focused his attention in the darkening sky. How long had it passed ever since he had dozen off? The sun was already setting…

As he uncrossed his arms, Sasuke stood up from the branch, his facial expression blank as always. He could sense the ANBU team standing not too far from him, but he ignored them by jumping towards the ground.

Flashes of his last battle with Naruto continued consuming his mind, and Sasuke closed his eyes when a somewhat cold breeze started caressing his pallid cheeks. It was curious, but it was when he thought that he had raised a mental wall that memories would reappear, and curse him. Sasuke had never bothered to do something against it, for memories were his way of recalling why he was still living, but that did not change the fact they were emotionally exhausting.

When the wind died down, Sasuke opened his eyes again only to stop his tracks when a familiar figure appeared in front of him. Clearly he had lost too much time meditating about the past since he had even failed to sense her. However, now that they were facing each other, he could not help but notice how miserable she looked.

With an inaudible sigh, Sasuke crossed his arms against his chest, and walked past her, ignoring the way her eyes were locked with the ground. He seriously did not understand her behaviour; one day she was all content, behaving as if nothing had changed, but on the next day she would be dragging her feet.

"Why…?"

Sasuke stopped walking at that word, but refused to look over his shoulder. He could sense her eyes on him, and that was enough.

"You said 'thank you' again." she whispered, "I have thought a lot about it, but I still don't understand why you said that. I mean…why did you thank me? Why now? Why…? I don't understand."

"You were never one that did things without having a reason." Sasuke pointed out as he stared at the sky, and noticed how darker it had become in such short period of time, "Why do you try so hard to make me voice your motives?"

"I just…" Sakura trailed off, and looked down at her feet, "When I heard that you were coming back, al I could think of was about how much I wanted for things to go back to normal…to go back to what they used to be."

The medical-nin paused for a second, and Sasuke continued staring at the dark heavens above.

"When I finally found out that you were back, I couldn't help but want for our Team to be together again, and…" another pause, "I started recalling how Naruto always convinced us to go eat ramen, and how Kakashi-sensei always got late whenever we had a mission… I just couldn't help but wish that everything could go back to normal."

Slowly, Sasuke closed his eyes, and started recalling everything he had went through along with Team Seven.

"I know…I know it's not possible for us to return to what we used to be in the past, but still…is it foolish for me to believe that we'll be able to be together again?" Sakura asked, her voice coming out rather softly, "I mean…Naruto always tried hard to make sure you would return to Konoha one day. He kept telling Tsunade-sensei that you deserved another chance…that you deserved to achieve your dreams as well…"

Sasuke frowned at that as he pictured Naruto fighting with Tsunade over his return to the village.

"And Kakashi-sensei…although he never seemed bothered by it, I like to think he was happy when he heard about your return." Sakura proceeded, "I mean…the four of us have survived to everything life has thrown at us. Don't you think we should…grasp this opportunity, and try to be together again?"

"Sakura…" Sasuke started as he opened his eyes again, and he gradually glanced at the girl over his shoulder, and watched as she raised her head to look at him, "One can never return to the past. You can only hold onto the memories, and pray that some things did not change. However, Naruto changed. I have changed as well. Also, there are things going on that you are not aware of….Things that will ultimately disintegrate the remains of our amity."

"What?" Sakura whispered, her eyes finding Sasuke's in a matter of seconds. "What is that supposed to mean? What's going on?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," a voice called out all of a sudden, and the two young adults turned to their sides in time to see Mesi emerging from behind a tree, her arms crossed against her chest, "I apologize for interrupting, but I need to talk to you."

"Mesi-san, can you please give us a minute?" Sakura asked before Sasuke could even bother to do something, "I need Sasuke-kun to tell me something and…"

"I wouldn't mind, but I have to go to Sunagakure straight away." Mesi swiftly interrupted her, and Sasuke did not have to glance at Sakura to know that the medical-nin had looked away at that. "Also, if I am not mistaken, Shizune was looking for you. I believe you're supposed to help Ino out during an operation?"

For a moment Sasuke could swear he had heard Sakura growl at the name of the member of the Yamanaka Clan, but decided to ignore it as he turned fully to Mesi.

"What do you want?"

"I just need to talk to you in private for a minute." the Jounin answered, her right hand now resting on her hip, and Sakura let out a tired sigh.

"Very well, I'll go back to the hospital." she mumbled before she started walking, but when she was just about to walk past Sasuke, she glanced at him and stopped. "Can you at least go to Ichiraku with me one of these days? I know Naruto isn't here, but…"

"…Fine." Sasuke ended up replying when the girl trailed off, and he glanced at her through the corner of his eyes. Nodding, Sakura smiled faintly at him before she started walking again only to disappear behind two tall trees seconds later.

When they were finally alone, Sasuke focused his attention on Mesi again, and folded his arms loosely against his chest.

"What is it?"

* * *

"You called, Tsunade-sama?"

With a tired sigh, the Fifth Hokage looked up from the medical report she was examining. Without saying a word, she nodded, and motioned for Kakashi to move closer to the desk before she put the document she was still holding down.

"I know we have already talked about this, but I must mention this one more time." Tsunade started as Kakashi stopped in front of her, hands stuck inside his pockets. "I need your guarantee that you will guide Naruto after my departure."

"I have already told you, Hokage-sama, that I'll keep an eye on Naruto…at least until I find it necessary." Kakashi reassured without changing his position, and Tsunade rested her chin on her hand. "I understand you're worried about how Naruto will react when he finds out about the truth, but I am sure he'll end up surprising us. After all, he is the most unpredictable ninja of his generation."

"And that's exactly what is worrying me the most." Tsunade confessed before she rested both her elbows on the desk without ever looking away from the man standing in front of her. "Most people, who are aware of what's going on, are expecting for Naruto to go mad before calming down. However, I cannot shrug off the feeling that Naruto may end up doing something quite foolish."

"Isn't that why you asked for Hinata to go with him?" Kakashi questioned as he slowly took his hands from inside his pockets only to cross his arms loosely against his chest. "Her presence there will help him to stay in control. Both of them are unaware of the effect their presence has on each other, but still, Naruto will not do anything idiotic because Hinata will be there to calm him down."

"Still, I cannot help but fear for his reaction." Tsunade admitted, "I sent them to a Land they had never heard about before without telling them what they were supposed to look for. I am not even sure if Naruto will be able to find it."

"Still, wasn't exactly because of that that you asked for Lee to accompany them?" Kakashi asked, and Tsunade stared at him in the eye. "You asked for Hinata to accompany Naruto because she's his balance, but you also chose Lee because you know he never gives up. Lee has never decided to abandon a mission just because it was unproductive. Lee is there to push Naruto beyond his limits if necessary."

"Yes, but still…" Tsunade trailed off before she closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Then, after waiting for a few seconds, the Hokage stared at Kakashi again. "I trust in Naruto. I believe that regardless of what he may do after he finds out about his heritage, he'll continue to be the same old energetic ninja we know, but the Council will see it differently. If Naruto goes mad, and shows any sign of repulsion against the Council, they will use his emotions against him."

"In order words, you are worried about what Mitokado Himura and Utatane Koharu may say if Naruto ends up hating them." Kakashi pointed out, and Tsunade paused for a moment before nodding lightly. "Well, if you ask me, there's no need to worry about that. I have watched Naruto ever since he was twelve, and I am sure he'll be thrilled when he finds out about the truth. As for Konoha's Council…I am sure Naruto will know how to deal with them."

"What worries me is that they don't have enough faith in the next generation." Tsunade observed, "That not to mention that Mitokado and Utatane hold Danzo in high regard, and often take his advice when dealing with the politics of the village."

"Baka wa shinanakya naoranai. Unless an idiot dies, he won't be cured." Kakashi stated all of a sudden, and Tsunade blinked at his statement. "This Japanese proverb means that only death will cure a fool or that you simply cannot fix stupidity. Tsunade-sama, I understand you want Naruto to return, and to be ready to take over your position, but please, stop worrying about what may happen in the future."

The Godaime did not say anything in return, and Kakashi decided to continue as he rested his right hand on his hip.

"Naruto is going to return, and he will be ready to show everyone that he is going to be a great Hokage. He has been given you many proofs already and nowadays only the foolish ones are still struggling to find a reason to keep Naruto away from a job that is rightfully his."

"Hum…you're right. I guess I should stop behaving like a restless mother." Tsunade muttered at same time she faintly nodded, and Kakashi smiled at her. "But now that that's out of the way, I have another thing to ask you about."

There was a moment of silence, and Tsunade stared down at the medical report she had been observing moments before. Then, she reached out for it, and stared at the name of the patient before she rested her chin on her left hand.

_This is my choice. Nothing will stop me from accomplishing this mission._

"As you know, Mesi has just left for Sunagakure." Tsunade started as she looked up at Kakashi again, and the silver haired man nodded in an unvoiced agreement, "I know I should not be saying this, but I must advice you to talk to her when she returns. She has mentioned the possibility of leaving the village for a short period of time."

"When did she tell you this?" Kakashi questioned, but his posture did not give away any sigh of tension or worry.

"She told me about it last time she came here." Tsunade answered as she straightened up on her chair, "I am simply telling you this because I have the feeling there are things you two need to talk about. By the way she spoke to me; I had the feeling you were not aware of her intentions."

"Don't worry about it, everything's under control." Kakashi answered, a smile on his face, and Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly at his behaviour. "Anyway, I better go, and check on Sasuke. He has already started planning what to do about the Uchiha Compound."

"But he has yet to speak to Ibiki about it." Tsunade grunted, and Kakashi chuckled. "You better tell him that this is something he cannot do alone. We don't want to add any more reasons for the Council to think we did a bad choice by allowing Sasuke to return."

"Ah, you and I both know the Council is only worried about that because it was Naruto who convinced you to let Sasuke return." Kakashi stated with a small shrug, "They just want Sasuke to do one mistake so that they can blame Naruto for bringing an extremely dangerous person to Konohagakure."

"Foolish old people…" Tsunade growled under her breath, and once again Kakashi chuckled at her words. "Anyway, you are dismissed. Don't forget to tell Sasuke to come here as soon as he has his plan written down. And speaking of writing down…how's the contract going?"

"The contract? Oh, I don't know, Hiashi hasn't contacted us ever since we left the Compound." Kakashi said after a short moment in silence, "I believe he's waiting for Hinata to come home so that he can force her to sign the papers in his presence."

"That idiot…too worried about appearances to see the obvious…" Tsunade mumbled, and Kakashi took the opportunity to shove his hands inside his pockets. "Let's just hope Naruto finds what he's supposed to find."

"That would indeed be very useful." Kakashi agreed with a short nod, "Well, I'm off. I'll see you later."

With those words, Kakashi disappeared in a cloud of smoke. After a few minutes just staring into space, Tsunade lowered her eyes, and gazed at the document that was still lying on top of her desk, almost as if taunting her.

There were so many things that needed to be amended before it was too late.

* * *

"We should use the 44th Battle Training Zone." Temari commented as she continued scribbling a few notes down on her notebook, "Accordingly to our last records, most students always get worried about having to enter inside the Forest of Death. I'm in the mood of sending them there again. What do you say?"

When no answer was given, the kunoichi from Sunagakure raised her eyes, and stared at the young man sitting across from her. Clearly, he had more to think of rather than in the Chunin Exams since his eyes were locked with the ceiling and his notebook was untouched.

With an inaudible sigh, Temari put her pen down, and leaned against the back of her chair before crossing her arms against her chest at same time she crossed her legs. For a moment, she just continued to observe Shikamaru until she decided to rest her elbows on the table.

"Oi, am I talking to myself or what?"

"What?" Shikamaru blurted out as he snapped out his thoughts, his eyes turning to her almost instantaneously, and Temari had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Did you say something?"

"Yeah, apparently I have been planning the Chunin Exams all by myself." Temari replied mockingly, and Shikamaru heaved a sigh, "What's wrong? Are you thinking about your friend?"

"It doesn't matter." Shikamaru mumbled as he raised a hand, and grabbed his own pen, and this time the kunoichi did roll her eyes.

"Of course it matters. If we don't settle this now, you won't focus on what you're supposed to do." Temari stated, and Shikamaru tore his eyes away from his notebook to look at her again. "So, you either tell me what has been bothering you, or you throw your personal problems aside, and start focusing on your job."

"You're right, I should be focusing on this, but I can't do it." Shikamaru admitted, and Temari titled her head slightly to the side. "Life is being too troublesome right now, and I can't help but worry about Choji."

"Someone once said 'words and hearts should be handled with care for words when spoken and hearts when broken are the hardest things to repair'." Temari quoted all of a sudden, and Shikamaru blinked at that. "Your friend has to learn by himself how to deal with what happened to him. Good intentions aren't enough to help him feel better."

"Tell me something I don't know…" Shikamaru retorted as he folded his arms against his chest, "I'm just a little worried about what may happen when Hana returns. I have the feeling things won't be peaceful when she comes back."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Temari inquired as she raised an eyebrow, and once again Shikamaru let out a sigh before he grasped his pen.

"Never mind that now. Let's focus on what we're supposed to do." he started, "You mentioned the 44th Battle Training Zone. That is a good idea, and we can also use the Scrolls of Heaven and Earth for the teams to collect. However…what do you say if we invite Mitarashi Anko to participate? She is an outstanding examiner."

"Hum…yeah, I guess we could." Temari started after a few seconds in silence, and she hesitantly grabbed her pen as well. "But are you sure you don't want to…?"

"Seriously, forget about it. It's a drag to talk about other people's love lives anyway." Shikamaru interrupted her, "I can only hope his wrecked heart won't drown in sadness, but then again, I guess that's what it means to trust in your friends, and believe they won't do anything stupid."

**To Be Continued…**

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**Authoress Note: **I was really excited when people started saying that they had enjoyed chapter 22, _The Red String of Fate_. I actually could not believemy eyes when most of you revealed your interest in Minato x Kushina pairing, and your appreciation for the flashback. If things go well, who knows, maybe you'll hear more about that pairing in this story, but only time will tell if that is true or not. For now, I want to thank every single person who reviewed last chapter, and allowed me to know what they thought about the interaction between Minato and Kushina. I must admit that even though there is almost no information about those two, I really love to write about them. So, anyway, thank you everyone! It was really awesome to hear about your thoughts.

Oh, and I almost forgot! I want to thank those who have answered my question about which type of Naruto story you prefer. Most of you admitted to prefer Shinobi Universe stories, which (I confess) caught me a little of guard mostly because there seem to be an increase in High School stories, and they seem to be quite...err...famous (for lack of better word). Anyway, thanks to those who let me know about their preference!**  
**


	25. The Faded Chronicles

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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Here comes another favourite chapter of mine. I really can't wait to see how you people will behave after reading it. Also, I have finally managed to finish chapter twenty-eight. Hopefully I'll find a way to keep up with the speed. Anyway, I want to leave here a special thanks to _**Rose Tiger**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**K**__**isdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Shale - Heart of the Pack**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Snow Astrum**_, _**l**__**ilusagi12**_, _**DarkPoet89**_, _**Torakage**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**Shadow of the Forgotten Ones**_, _**Remuko**_, _**ifdreamscametrue if he knew**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**zzz**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _**animelover00094**_, _**Alakan**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_ and _**ShadowligerV**_ for everything. You guys are awesome (and geez, I sure do repeat myself a lot)!

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**Chapter 24**

_The Faded Chronicles_

Silence ruled the interior of the room as nothing but thoughts crossed Naruto's mind. His eyes were locked with Tanaka's dark orbs as he struggled to digest the story that had just been told. The heir of the most influent Clan of Land of Whirlpool had left to Konohagakure in search for help, and had ended up marrying the Fourth Hokage? He had never heard about such thing! In fact, if there was a Hokage he had not heard about that would be the Yondaime.

"What was the name…?" Naruto started, but he paused as Tanaka titled her head slightly to the side as she waited for him to continue. "What was the name of the kunoichi that went to Konohagakure?"

"Her name was Kushina." Tanaka answered with a faint smile on her lips, and Naruto unconsciously nodded in understanding. "She left her Land because she wanted to find a way to offer balance to her people and to her own family. Unfortunately, instead, she was forced to make one of the most agonizing decisions of her life."

"She had to chose about…either saving her village and asking Konoha to go into war or…" once more Naruto paused for a second as he recalled the story that had just been told, "Or about letting her Land be destroyed, and keep peace amongst the Five Countries."

"Exactly, and that was not an easy decision, was it?" Tanaka inquired, and Naruto immediately shook his head in reply. "You see, she wanted to help her loved ones, but at the end, when she noticed that her father did not want to change, she opted for peace, and asked for the Fourth Hokage to do nothing about the Land of Whirlpool."

"I don't think I would be able to do that." Naruto commented all of a sudden as he dropped his gaze, and Tanaka blinked. "The security of the villagers…how could she turn her back to them just because she was worried about war? She should have done something to aid them."

"Would you really accept going to war with other Countries just because one man refused to change?" Tanaka questioned, "You see, the Whirlpool's Daimyo ended up revealing his true self. He did not care about the village, and he did not care about the villagers either. All he wanted was to gamble, and make sure he continually won. At the end, his voracious desire for wealth was what caused this Land's devastation."

"But still…"

"However, what do you say about reading something that will explain what happened more than eighteen years ago more accurately?" Tanaka interrupted him, and Naruto blinked at her question, "It is a very precise book, and I am sure you will enjoy reading it."

"Hum…sure…I guess…" Naruto answered not quite sure about what he was supposed to do, and he could not help but feel a shiver run up his spine when Tanaka suddenly smiled at him. "So…err…where's that book?"

"Oh, it's in the room next to this one." Tanaka promptly replied as she waved a hand towards the wall on her right side. "Feel free to go in there. I'm sure you'll find it quite quickly."

"You're not coming with me?" Naruto asked as he titled his head to the side, and the woman shook her head. "Oh, well…I guess that's my cue, ne? But…you know, I'm going to leave first thing in the morning, and I am not sure if I'll be able to finish reading the book by then…"

"Don't worry; feel free to take it with you." Tanaka responded, the smile back to her lips, "I am sure it will be safe if it stays in your hands. Just promise me you'll take good care of it."

"Sure, don't worry!" Naruto exclaimed, the corner of his lips also curling upwards into a grin. "Oh and…" Naruto smiled sheepishly at her as he tried to come up with the proper words, "Sorry for running away the first time, I just…well, I wasn't expecting to see someone here."

"It's all right. I apologize for scaring you." Tanaka replied, bowing slightly as she spoke. "And thank you for coming back again. I now know that everything will be fine in the future."

"What do you mean by that?" Naruto inquired as he raised an eyebrow slightly in confusion, and Tanaka let out a warm laugh before she shook a hand in front of her face. Then, she reached out for the _shamisen,_ and pulled it close to her.

"Just make sure you find the book, and everything will be answered." Tanaka pointed out before she started playing, and for a moment, Naruto just watched as her fingers played with the strings of the instrument.

After a few minutes, Naruto finally decided to stand up, and make his way towards the shoji. Carefully, he rested a hand against it, and stared at Tanaka again, and seconds later the woman gazed up at him as well.

"I guess this is goodbye, then." Naruto started, and Tanaka smiled faintly at him. "Are you sure you want to stay in this village? You could come to Konoha with us, you know? I'm sure Tsunade-baachan could find a place for you to stay."

"Thank you for the offer, but you see…" Tanaka paused for a second as she continued to play, "This is my home. I am fine here. Just make sure you stay safe." Naruto hesitated for a second before he nodded. "Please, take care of yourself, Uzumaki Naruto, and goodbye."

"Bye…" Naruto finally whispered as he raised a hand, and waved at her. Then, with one last smile, he closed the shoji, the melody that was emanating from the _shamisen_ still surrounding him.

After spending a few seconds just staring at the shoji, Naruto finally gave one step backwards, and turned around. Ignoring the way his footsteps echoed through the hall, Naruto made his way towards the door that lead to the room Tanaka had told him about, but when he was just about to raise his hand, a sound caught his attention.

In confusion, Naruto turned his head to the side, and blinked when he saw a familiar figure approach him in a fast rate. The way her long tresses followed her figure made Naruto recall the nymph he had seen a few nights before, but the boy pushed that idea to the side almost immediately.

Could he even dare to picture Hinata as a nymph?

Naruto doubted it.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped when her eyes finally found his, but the boy simply turned to her before he titled his head slightly to the side.

"What are you doing here, Hinata?" Naruto asked in bewilderment, and he blinked when the girl stopped in front of him, her cheeks growing redder by the second. Maybe she had been looking for him all that time? "Did something happen?"

"A-Ah, no, I was just…" Hinata stared down at her feet, her cheeks still a glowing red, "I-I was just…worried about you, a-and I thought I could…come and find you…"

"Aw, I am really sorry for worrying you, Hinata, but as you can see I am great!" Naruto exclaimed with a wide grin, and the girl timidly raised her pale orbs to gaze at him. "I don't know what Hana put in that tea, but it sure worked!"

"I-I see…" Hinata answered still a tad shyly, "But…can I stay with you…?"

"Sure!" Naruto exclaimed a tad too enthusiastically, and it was then that he remembered something. "Ah! That's right! Hinata, I have something to show you!"

Before the girl could ask him what was going on, Naruto grabbed her wrist, and pulled her to the door from the room where Tanaka was. Then, without even bothering to knock, Naruto pushed the shoji aside with his free hand.

"Tanaka, this is my friend Hi—" Naruto blinked when he stared at the vacant spot in front of him, "—nata…"

"Naruto-kun?" the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan called out before she stepped to his side, and stared at the interior of the room. When Naruto did not answer, Hinata glanced at him only to see the perplexed expression on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"This…" Naruto hesitantly started as he continued observing the room with his eyes, "This is empty…"

"Was it not supposed to be empty?" Hinata asked as she blinked, and Naruto gently let go off her wrist only to step inside the room. Silently, he made his way to the spot Tanaka had once occupied, playing the _shimasen_, and titled his head slightly to the side.

He had not just imagined all that…had he?

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called out, but the blond ignored her as he recalled what Tanaka had told him.

_It is a very precise book, and I am sure you will enjoy reading it._

_Oh, it's in the room next to this one. Feel free to go in there. I'm sure you'll find it quite quickly._

"The book…" Naruto whispered, and without even thinking about explaining what was going on, he spun around, and rushed out of the room. Hinata only had time to step backwards when she saw him running towards her, and she confusedly watched as Naruto hurried to the next door.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata called again, but once more the blond ignored her as he pushed the shoji to the side, and stopped. That was a bedroom, and it had the normal aspect of a room that was neither cleaned nor used for a long time. In fact, there was even a blanket of dust on the floor.

As he closed his left hand into a fist, Naruto stepped inside the room, and quickly made his way towards the closed closet on the wall in front of him. Without even blinking, the young man raised his right hand, and pushed the door aside only to cover his face with his arm when a mouldy smell reached his nose.

Swiftly, Naruto gazed at the interior of the closet only to close the door seconds later. There was nothing inside aside from two extremely old futon. Then, all of a sudden, a hand rested on his shoulder, and Naruto looked behind him only to stare directly at a pair of pallid lavender orbs.

"Oh, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, behaving as if that was the first time he was seeing her on that day, "Sorry about that. I was just…I was kind of hoping I would find a book here, but apparently…well, I think I imagined it."

"A book?" Hinata repeated as she lowered her arm, and Naruto nodded before he turned around so that he was now facing the heiress. "Ano…if you want, I could help you look for it. Do you know what it looks like?"

"No, that's all right. It's obvious there's nothing in here." Naruto answered as he smiled faintly at her, and before he could stop himself, he tapped the girl on the shoulder in a comforting manner. "I think I have been imagining a lot of things ever since we got here. Maybe I'm going insane?"

Without giving time for Hinata to answer, Naruto glanced one last time at the room, his eyes resting on an aged yet empty desk that was in a corner for a second. Yes, maybe he was going insane, after all, how had Tanaka managed to disappear when he had been standing in the hallway the entire time?

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, and the blond glanced at her before he decided to lower his arm. Curious, he had not even noticed he had been resting his hand on the girl's shoulder that entire time. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Funny, that's a question I really don't feel like answering right now." Naruto replied with a short laugh, "But never mind that. I'm probably just losing my mind."

With those words, Naruto made his way towards the door, but before he could step outside, he heard Hinata murmur _Byakugan_. For a moment he just stood in the doorway, his eyes locked with the floor before he took a deep breath, and looked over his shoulder.

"Hinata, seriously, forget about what I told you. I probably just ima—"

"You didn't imagine anything!" Hinata exclaimed suddenly, her voice coming out a tad higher than usual, and she rapidly twirled around on her heels so that she was looking straight at him, "And you're not going crazy either!"

"Hinata?" Naruto whispered as he watched as the girl turned her back to him again, and made her way towards the empty desk. Then, without explaining what was going on, Hinata bent down on her knees, and started tearing off the wooden floor that was underneath the desk, on the right side.

Although he did not understand what was going on, Naruto went to the girl's side, and crouched down next to her. Then, he raised a hand, and rested it on top of Hinata's, stopping the girl from pulling another small piece of wood.

"Let me do that." Naruto requested as he continued holding the girl's hand, and Hinata timidly glanced at him, _Byakugan_ still activated. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Timidly, Hinata nodded in silent understanding, and withdrew her hands as soon as Naruto dropped them. With a serious mask on his face, Naruto continued tearing off the floor. During ten minutes the only noise that echoed through that place was the sound of wood being ripped apart, and thrown to the side.

"So, what are we looking for?" Naruto finally decided to ask as he tried to rip another piece of wood without injuring his fingers due to a rather niggling nail. However, before Hinata could part her lips to speak, something caught the two shinobi's attention.

When his eyes fell upon a wooden box, Naruto glanced sideways at Hinata before he decided to tear the floor off even faster. In a matter of minutes, the wooden box could be perfectly seen, and once again Naruto and Hinata shared a look.

As he licked his lips in anxiety, Naruto gently rested his hands on each side of the box before he started pulling it out of the hole. It was a regular box, already seasoned by time, but it looked as if it was in very good conditions.

"Okay, I think it's safe to say I'm really nervous right now." Naruto commented as he moved backwards, and ignoring the fact that there was dust everywhere, he sat down on the floor. Hinata mimicked his actions in silence, her eyes also locked with box.

"Should I open it?" Naruto inquired as he looked up at Hinata, and the girl gazed back at him, _Byakugan_ now deactivated. When the heiress nodded in reply, Naruto put the box down, between them, and run his fingers through the closed lid, leaving marks on the dust that had settled on it.

That was it.

That was the moment when he would find out if he had gone mad or not.

"Okay…" Naruto muttered under his breath, and it was almost in slow-motion that he raised the lid. Then, when he finally saw what was being hidden inside the box, Naruto could not help but gasp.

* * *

Hana looked up from her backpack, and gazed at the setting sun. A large and invisible brush had already blessed the heavens above with a multi-coloured rainbow, and a few birds could be seen conquering the sky with their miraculous wings.

However, what caught the medical-nin's attention were the few, painted clouds.

A sense of loneliness wrapped around Hana as she continued cloud-gazing, a speck of sadness emerging from the depths of her eyes. Even though she had told herself that she had to forget all about her feelings for Nara Shikamaru, the truth was that there was always something that would trigger both her memories and her heart.

With a sigh, Hana rubbed her forehead at same time she closed her eyes.

No! She could not think about that sort of thing!

As she chewed on her lower lip, Hana lowered her hand, and gazed at the sky again. It was unintentional really, the way her eyes would focus on the clouds whenever she gazed at the vibrant ocean above…

Shaking her head, Hana sat down next to her backpack, and started putting all of her belongings inside. Her movements were unhurried, but they slowed down even more as memories started consuming all of her thoughts like an album that was being carefully observed.

_Oh, look! That's Shikamaru! C'mon! I'll introduce you to my best friend!_

She remembered the day when she had first met Shikamaru amazingly well. She recalled laughing lightly at his sluggish antics, and befriending him almost immediately. She simply could not forget how Choji would always take her with him whenever he was going to meet his Team, and how she always seemed to meet Shikamaru at the library when alone.

Their friendship had not been impetuous; in fact their connection had developed thanks to Choji, and his kind way of always finding a way of forcing Hana and Shikamaru to speak to one another.

In fact, Hana had never thought she would ever feel something for Shikamaru other than amity. She treasured his friendship too much to even ponder about that possibility, but she had been proven wrong when she had meet Temari for the first time.

_Hana, tomorrow you're going to meet Shikamaru's girl. Well, they aren't dating yet, but most people are really rooting for them._

Hana finally stopped her movements when Choji's voice echoed through her mind, and she lowered her gaze as she recalled the day when Temari had finally arrived at Konohagakure. It had been impossible not to find the kunoichi from Sunagakure a stunner, and Hana had quickly agreed with her cousin that Shikamaru and Temari did look great together.

However, it was during Temari's stay in Konoha, that Hana found herself thinking more and more about the lazy member of the Nara Clan.

With a sigh, Hana reached out for her pouch, and started observing the herbs that had been tenderly put inside of it

She honestly did not know when she had started liking Shikamaru; it had been more of a natural result rather than a compulsory one. As days rolled by she would find herself thinking more and more about him, and feeling the need to be with him, but all of her desires were constantly pushed aside due to Temari's presence.

"Hana-san?" a voice called out all of a sudden, pulling the medical-nin away from her thoughts. In confusion, Hana raised her head only to stare directly at Lee's black orbs. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, Lee-san! When did you come back?" Hana asked as she blinked, her senses gradually growing aware of her surroundings again. "I'm sorry, I was just…thinking. Did something happen?"

"Actually, I was wondering about where Naruto-kun and Hinata-san may be." Lee answered as he glanced around, and Hana gazed around as well as a reaction to his words. "I know it's none of my business, but I sure am beginning to think Hinata-san lied to me when she said she and Naruto-kun aren't dating…"

"Lee-san…" Hana whispered after a short pause, and she looked down when the young man stared at her in expectation, "Can I…ask you something personal?"

"If you give me the right not to answer it if I find it too personal, sure," Lee answered with a small shrug, and the brunette gazed at him before she focused her attention on her hands. "What's going on?"

"Do you…?" once again Hana paused, and took a deep breath, "Do you…do you ever think about what happened between you and Sakura-san in the past? I-I mean…do you ever think about your relationship with her?"

A cool wind blew from north, and started playing with Hana's long tresses while Lee stood silent. It did not take long until the medical-nin mentally scolded herself for asking about something so private, but she stopped her silent lecture when Lee suddenly spoke up.

"Sometimes, yes." the young man answered, and Hana raised her head to gaze at him. "Occasionally I wonder about how things would be if Sakura-san had accepted my feelings, and had accepted to go out with me…"

Hana continued staring at Lee as he spoke, the wind playing with his short black locks as well. He was looking at a random spot on his side, but a sense of longing was clear in his black orbs…a sense of longing that was familiar to Hana as well.

"What do you do when…you start dwelling on that?" the medical-nin heard herself ask, and Lee blinked in confusion at the question before he focused his attention on her. For a long moment they just stood in that position, staring at one another, but that changed when Lee shrugged.

"I train." he stated, and this time it was Hana's turn to blink in bewilderment. "I tell myself; 'you will only stop training when you stop thinking about her'. I know it sounds silly, but it does work for me. However…"

When Lee trailed off, Hana gazed at him in the eye, and the young man smiled sadly at her.

"Don't try to run away from your memories, Hana-san." Lee advised, and the medical-nin looked away almost instantaneously. "I know it hurts, and your heart will probably ache for a long time, but…don't you think it's worth it? I mean, don't you think the memories that you so dearly held close to your heart are worthy of any pain if that means you'll always treasure them?"

"Lee-san…"

"I know this probably sounds silly, but just think about it," the young man continued, "When you look back on all that has happened, you'll recall everything that helped you grow and change. Personally, every time I look back on those days, I realize how much I want to treasure Sakura-san. The fact she will never like me doesn't really matter. I love her, and I want to cherish her the best I can so that I can create even more memories. I don't care if I'll cry when I recall everything we went through; I simply want to keep those memories in my heart."

When Lee finished talking, Hana looked down, and closed her eyes as she felt the need to cry build up inside of her. Instinctively, the girl raised her knees, and rested both her hands against her face at same time she took various deep breaths.

Although she could not see him, Hana felt Lee kneeling in front of her, and seconds later a hand fell on her right knee. Timorously, Hana peeked through the gaps between her fingers, and felt her breath get stuck on her throat when she noticed the smile that Lee was offering her.

It was so sad and yet so understanding…

"I always thought Shikamaru-san was an idiot for not noticing your feelings for him." Lee admitted, and Hana lowered her hands only to cross her arms against her chest. Looking down, the girl struggled not to cry. "But then again, you always did the best you could not to be obvious."

"I-I…I never wanted to tell him. I never wanted for him to find out." Hana confessed, her vision slowly getting blurred, "I told myself over and over that Shikamaru-san likes Temari-san, and that they deserve each other. When I told Shikamaru-san that I was coming here, and said goodbye, I told myself that was it. I told myself that goodbye would put an end to my feelings, but I….I…"

Hana realised that she was crying too late. Drops of loneliness and despondency started rolling down her cheeks even before she could do something to stop them. Immediately, she started wiping the tears away, but the more she tried to stop them, the more they would fall.

"I'm so sorry…" Hana sobbed as she covered her face with her hands, and tried to hide her tears away, "I don't know what's happening to me. I-I…"

Hana stopped rambling when Lee unexpectedly rested a hand on top of her head

"It's all right…" the boy whispered, the faded smile still on his face, and Hana felt her heart compress even more at his voice. The words that had abandoned his lips were all she had needed to allow her tears to flow freely down her cheeks. "I understand, don't worry. Just cry all you want. It's okay."

* * *

It was with tender touches that Hinata grasped one of the books that were inside the wooden box. Naruto was already observing one, an attentive expression on his face. After glancing sideways at him, Hinata carefully opened the cover, and looked at the contents of the book.

Just like the rest of the books, the pages were already turning a dirty shade of yellow, and some of the ink was already fading away. Soothingly, Hinata ran the tip of her fingers through the surface of the first page, her eyes scanning the words that had been written in it before she focused her attention on the first sentence.

Blinking, Hinata glanced at the book Naruto was studying only to stare at the first sentence that had been written on the right page. Quickly, she stared at the first page she had been examining before her brain finally realized something.

"Naruto-kun," she started in her low voice, but the boy took a few seconds to realize she had addressed to him, "Look. This book was written three years before the one you're holding and…" Hinata gazed again at the book she had placed on her lap, "They were written by the same person."

"What?" Naruto blurted out, and he quickly turned his head in direction of the book Hinata had on her lap.

At his unexpected movement, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan was forced to move her torso backwards in order to create some distance between her face and Naruto's.

"The signature is U. Kushina, and in this book…" Naruto gazed at the book he was holding with both his hands, "Ah! You're right!"

All of a sudden, Naruto turned his head in her direction again, and Hinata felt herself go red when she noticed that his nose was inches away from hers.

"These must be diaries! I knew I wasn't imagining anything!" Naruto practically shouted in happiness, and Hinata blinked at his excited grin. She honestly did not understand why he kept saying that he had gone crazy, but she guessed that was probably not the best time to ask about it.

As Naruto started flipping the pages of the book he had chosen to read, Hinata told herself to look away from his face before he caught her staring. As she felt her cheeks growing warmer in embarrassment, Hinata focused her attention on the box next to her, and raised a hand.

Carefully, she started taking all the contents from inside the box. She guessed that all the books inside were diaries, but when Hinata grabbed the last book that was inside the box, she blinked in surprise.

_Memories of U. Kushina_

After glancing at Naruto, and notice that he was completely absorbed in his book, Hinata turned to the one she was holding. Caringly, she put it on her lap before she opened the cover only to widen her eyes at what she saw.

A young woman was staring back at her, long red tresses billowing at the wind as she posed for the picture. There was a cocky smile gracing her tanned features while her green eyes were sparkling with liveliness and happiness. Behind her was a strong oak, its leaves holding a vibrant green.

"How beautiful…" Hinata whispered as she stared at the woman again, ignoring the way Naruto had glanced her way at her comment. The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan only snapped from her daze when she felt a warm breath caressing the side of her face.

"Wow! She's really beautiful!" Naruto exclaimed all of a sudden, and Hinata turned her head to him only to widen her eyes in horror when she noticed that his cheek was inches away from her lips. When had he moved so close to her? "Who is she?"

Trembling, Hinata lowered her head so that she could gaze at the picture, and she forced herself to find the name of the girl. Thankfully, it did not take more than a few seconds for her eyes to find the name that had been scribbled below the picture.

"I-It says 'Kushina (16)'." Hinata read out loud as she struggled not to pay attention to the way her heart was beating furiously against her rib cage. As soon as those words abandoned her lips, Hinata turned her head in Naruto's direction, "Isn't that the name we read in the diaries?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, you're right!" Naruto exclaimed as he glanced quickly at the diary he was holding, "It is the same name! Wow, so these diaries belonged to that girl. I wonder why Tanaka told me to find them."

Hinata decided to ignore the unfamiliar name as she started turning the pages of the album. Most pictures were of the girl they believed to be Kushina; there were some where she was with two other shinobi – who Hinata believed they were her team mates – but when she was about to flip one of the last pages, Naruto stopped her.

"That's Tanaka!"

Almost immediately, Hinata focused her attention on the picture Naruto was pointing at. Kushina was in it, sitting on the steps that lead to a dojo, staring at a girl who was playing a _shamisen_. The first thing Hinata noticed was that the unknown girl was wearing miko clothing before she decided to observe the girl's long burgundy tresses.

It was a shame she had her eyes closed, but despite of that, Hinata could not help but notice her content expression as she played the musical instrument.

Silently, Hinata gazed at the words that had been written on the right side of the page:

_Kushina (19), Tanaka (20)_

"Man, I forgot to ask if she was a miko or something." Naruto commented all of a sudden, and as a reaction Hinata turned the page. It had not been on purpose really, but for some reason she simply felt weird whenever Naruto mentioned the so called Tanaka girl.

When she finished turning the page, Hinata faced the last picture of the album…

…And her eyes broadened in surprise.

There was Kushina, with her red hair falling bellow her waist. A wide smile was playing on her lips, but this one had nothing to do with the smiles Hinata had observed before. On the contrary, this smile transmitted serenity and a sense of level-headedness. Kushina looked older as well, and maturity was clear in the depths of her eyes.

What surprised Hinata, though, was not the older Kushina or the way she now seemed to hold herself. No, what had shocked the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan had been the young man that was standing next to Kushina, whose lips were curled upwards in a frightening familiar grin.

Messy blond locks were pointing in every direction, one pair of azure orbs holding composure and knowledge. The man was carrying himself with pride, and even though his posture was one of authority, Hinata could not help but find him quite attractive.

The problem for Hinata, however, was the startling resemblance between the man in the picture and the boy that was sitting next to her.

"Na-Naruto-kun…" the heiress called out, her voice above a whisper, and the young man let out a 'huh?' which lead Hinata to point at the picture she was looking at. "H-He looks just like…you…"

"Who looks like me?" Naruto asked, finally shifting closer to her, and when he gazed at the picture Hinata was pointing at, his eyes widened as well. "Ah, he does look like me! Who is he?!"

At the question, Hinata gazed at the text that had been scribbled in the interior of the cover, and cleared her throat before she started reading out loud:

_"Kushina,_

_An ancient proverb says that an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. This is my hope for both of you, and I know you two will be extremely happy together._

_Remember that it's together that you must face and overcome all adversity._

_May you have a blissful and joyful marriage, Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina._

_Sorano Tanaka."_

As soon as the last word was uttered, Hinata froze. What name had she just uttered?

"Hinata…" Naruto breathed from next to her, but the girl did not move as she continued staring at what she had just read, "What…What name did you just read next to…Namikaze Minato's?"

Timorously, Hinata looked down at the two names that had been written next to each other, and swallowed hard in uneasiness.

"Uzumaki Kushina."

"Uzumaki Kushina…" Naruto repeated before he narrowed his eyes, his attention locked on the picture of the couple, "What's going on around here? How can she have my last name?"

Instead of answering, Hinata gazed at the picture as well, her eyes landing on Minato's face seconds later. Thoughts were drinking in all of her energy, and for a moment Hinata could swear she would feel dizzy for thinking so hard until her eyes landed on Minato's.

His eyes…his hair…his grin…they were all Naruto's…

…But if that was true then that could only mean one thing.

"Does that mean…?" Hinata heard Naruto ask from next to her, his eyes still locked with the picture, and the heiress felt her heart drop when Naruto finished the question. "Does that mean the Fourth Hokage…and Kushina…are my parents?"

**To Be Continued…**


	26. The Veiled Legacy

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am so happy to hear that everyone liked the last chapter. Most of you commented that you find it wonderful how Hinata was next to Naruto when he discovered the truth, and I was beyond ecstatic by that. I hope you continue to like the future chapters.

Also, I want to leave here a special thanks to _**Rose Tiger**_, _**bumblemark**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**Hentai Strumpet**_, _**Hannyu Arashi**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**Shale - Heart of the Pack**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Remuko**_, _**Music 1s my s0ul**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**Lord Kain**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**symbolic moons**_, _**vicucha**_, _**ShadowligerV**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**KnighteWolfe**_, _**62635377**_, _**Cueil**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**animelover00094**_, _**Darkpoet89**_, _**Xx Anti NaruxSaku xX**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**elarhy**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**lilusagi12**_, _**Lil Biatch**_ and _**Katqueen95**_. Thank you for everything guys!

* * *

**Chapter 25**

_The Veiled Legacy_

As the sun vanished behind the tall trees, leaving behind a pasty rainbow that had been painted in the sky a long time before, a bitter breeze blew from north. People were leisurely finishing their chores, some of them even closing their stores as dinner time got closer. One pair of crystalline-blue eyes took in the quiet way windows were being closed while one pair of ears caught the words of goodbyes that were being uttered everywhere.

A smile graced Ino's lips as the girl continued walking through the now almost deserted street. Some people waved at her, while others simply glanced her way, but Ino ignored everything as she gazed at the sky.

That day had been quite fruitful. After all, she had managed to spend a few minutes with Sasuke, and piss Sakura off by showing off her success. Oh, the angry look on Sakura's face had been absolutely delicious, even more since Ino had encountered her archenemy while standing next to Sasuke himself.

Oh yes, that day had been reasonably productive indeed.

Clasping her hands behind her back, Ino turned around on a corner, and her smile grew wider when a familiar residence appeared in front of her. She truly did not feel like going home just yet even though she was relatively tired from work; she was too energized to settle down.

"Excuse me." Ino called-out as she opened the front door of the house, and glanced around. For a moment nothing happened, and before Ino could even think about taking her sandals off, the sound of footsteps finally broke the silence.

"Oh! Ino! Thank heavens you're here!" a plump woman almost shouted as she appeared in front of the medical-nin, flailing her arms as she spoke, "Do you know if something happened to Choji? He has locked himself up in his room, and I can't even get him to eat!"

"What?" Ino blurted out as she blinked in confusion. Choji had actually refused a meal? What on earth was that all about? "What do you mean? Last time I saw him, he looked all right…"

"Oh, I hoped you would know the answer!" Akimichi Cho lamented, her eyes reflecting all of her worry, "I don't really understand what happened either. In the morning he kept saying he wanted to prepare lunch for the two of you, and I even let him chose the recipes. He was really animated about all of that, but a few hours later he returned with no groceries, and before I could ask him what had happened, he locked himself in his room."

"He…wanted to prepare lunch…for the two of us?" Ino repeated slowly, and Cho nodded in silent agreement, hands now clasped in front of her breasts. "Well, I didn't see Choji today, but if you want, I could go try and talk to him."

"Please do! Choji never refused food, not even when he was sick." Cho started speaking at full speed, most of it due to her nervousness, "He never wanted congee or anything of that sort. He always wanted to eat katsudon."

Ino mentally shook her head as she thought of the bowl of rice topped with deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs and condiments. That sure sounded like Choji; eating everything except what was good for his health.

"Well, if you don't mind, I'll just go check on him." Ino decided to say, and Cho immediately nodded before she stepped to the side. Swiftly, Ino took her sandals off, and made her way towards Choji's bedroom.

It took only a couple of minutes for Ino to reach a wooden door, and without even blinking; she raised a fist, and knocked. For a few seconds, the medical-nin just stared at the closed door before she decided to knock again.

"Choji, open this door! I know you're in there!" Ino spoke as her patience started growing thinner, "Your mother told me you locked yourself in there before lunch. She also told me you haven't eaten anything. She's worried sick about you."

No one answered her.

Taking a deep breath, Ino rested her hands on her hips, and glared at the closed door.

"Just open the door so that we can talk. Did something happen? Did you have a fight with Shikamaru or something?" she asked, "I found that doubtful, but whatever. I just want to talk to you. C'mon, open this door before I have to resort to violence. Your parents probably won't like that, but you know I would do it."

There was another pause, and Ino closed her eyes as her right eyebrow started twitching. She was truly doing her best to stay calm, but it was getting harder. The fact Choji was acting like a child, and refusing to answer her did not help the situation either.

"Choji—" Ino trailed off when the door of the bedroom was suddenly yet unhurriedly opened and Ino took a very long deep breath, "Finally! Why didn't you open the door when I told you to? I really don't want to cause any troubles in your house."

Instead of answering her, Choji turned around, and made his way towards his bed, making sure his back was always turned. Ignoring his silent treatment, Ino stepped inside the room, and rested her hands on her hips.

"Your mother told me you don't want to eat. She also told me all about you wanting to prepare lunch for me." Ino decided to say, but Choji did not move nor did he say anything. "What happened around lunch hour to cause all this?"

"…What do you want, Ino?" Choji asked back after a short pause, and the girl blinked at his tired tone only to shrug it off as she answered.

"I wanted to tell you about what I did today." she explained, "And since I didn't see you around the village, I decided to stop by. I never really expected to see your mother in the condition she was in when I entered inside your house. Make sure you go apologize to her."

"You wanted to tell me about what happened…today?" Choji repeated, and from where she stood, Ino watched as the boy rested his hands on his knees. "What…did happen today, Ino? Did…did something happen at work?"

"At work? On the contrary!" Ino exclaimed, the corner of her lips twisting upwards as she recalled what had happened in the morning. "I managed to piss Sakura off today! And I got a reward for that too! You see, I encountered Sasuke-kun at the Hokage's office, and when I saw Sakura, I just—"

"Sasuke-kun?" Choji interrupted her, his tone growing lower and more depressing as he spoke, and Ino blinked at his words. "Ino, you…you didn't even notice, did you?"

"Notice what? The look on Sakura's face? You bet I did." Ino laughed at the memory, and failed to hear the sigh that escaped from Choji's lips. "She looked so angry! But then again, it serves her right."

"Ino…"

"She's being an idiot. I told her about what I was going to do, and yet she refused to do something about it." Ino continued, her mind completely focused on what had happened with Sasuke and Sakura. "She can't really blame me for not giving her a warning."

"Ino…"

"But then again, Sakura grew weaker ever since Naruto managed to defeat Sasuke-kun." the blonde rambled on, occasionally gesturing a little in order to give emphasis to what she was saying, "Seriously, it's getting annoying the way she always cowers whenever Sasuke-kun shows up."

"Ino, I want to break up!" Choji almost yelled at same time he finally stood up from his bed, and twirled around so that the two ninja were now facing each other. Ino widened her eyes at that. "I…" Choji took a deep breath, "I want to end this."

"What?" Ino blurted out, her eyes still wide open, "What are you talking about? Why do you want to break up?"

"So, you really haven't noticed, eh?" Choji asked before he let out a bitter laugh, which caused Ino to blink in puzzlement at his antics. "I really didn't want to do this, but I just…I can't continue like this. I really wanted to make this work, but you…no, I can't continue."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Ino asked as she rested her hands on her hips, "I know we haven't been around each other that much, but with Sasuke-kun back to Konoha, I just want to make sure Sakura—"

"Enough, Ino," Choji interrupted her, now in a quieter tone, sadness emerging from the depths of his dark orbs, and the girl went silent. "It's always 'Sasuke-kun this', 'Sasuke-kun that', can't you see I can't take it anymore? At the beginning I tried to understand it. Heck, I even tried to defend you when people warned me about the possibility of you falling for Sasuke again. 'She's only happy for seeing him again' that's what I thought."

Ino let her arms drop to her sides, but when she parted her lips to speak, Choji continued.

"However, now I can't do it anymore. I want us to break up." he repeated, "You may not notice what's going on, but I do, and to be honest with you, I just can't take it anymore."

"Oh, you can't possibly be serious." Ino started, "You're jealous, aren't you? You're jealous because I have been paying more attention to Sasuke-kun, and don't spend any time with you, isn't it? Really Choji, I never thought you were that kind of guy!"

"Yeah, that's right, I'm jealous." the member of the Akimichi Clan agreed, but Ino noticed the hint of mockery in his tone of voice. "Whatever Ino, I just wanted to tell you we're through. Now you can have all the time in the world to go after Sasuke."

"Choji—"

"Now, if you'd be so kind…" Choji trailed off as he made his way towards the door of the room, being careful enough not to brush his arm against Ino's as he walked. "If you don't leave, I will."

"Oh, c'mon Choji, can't we talk about this?" Ino asked as she followed the boy's figure with her eyes, only to turn around when he walked past her. "You're being childish right now. Let me just explain!"

"I don't want your explanations, Ino." Choji replied with a small shake of his head, "And since you don't want to leave, then you'll have to excuse me. You know the way so you don't really need me to walk you to the front door."

"Choji!" Ino called out when the boy turned his back to her, and walked out of the bedroom. Quickly, the medical-nin stepped into the hall, but Choji was faster, and he hurriedly made his way downstairs.

When she noticed she was all alone, Ino looked down, and bit the interior of her cheek. What on earth had happened for all that to occur?

* * *

"Naruto-kun, we should stop." Lee commented as he approached the blond, their pace never changing. "We have been walking for almost five hours now. If it wasn't for Hinata-san's _Byakugan_ and the moonlight we wouldn't even be able to see where we're going in this darkness."

Instead of answering him, Naruto simply continued walking, his eyes locked with the path ahead. Confusedly, Lee glanced over his shoulder, at Hinata and Hana, who were following them in silence. Had it not been for Hinata, Lee and Hana would have never understood why Naruto had suddenly approached them, saying that they were to return to Konohagakure immediately.

_We found some books, and an album. There was a message at the end of the album that talked about…about Naruto-kun's parents._

Both Lee and Hana had been surprised when Hinata had explained what had happened to them. Due to Naruto's fretfulness to go back to Konoha, the group had been forced to pack as quickly as possible. No one had had the chance to rest before the trip started, which explained why they were now feeling drained.

"What do you think we should do?" Lee asked as he stopped his tracks, and waited for the two girls to reach him before he started walking again. "Naruto-kun is obviously determined to go back, but I think we should rest for the night. It's too dangerous to be wandering around, regardless if we have _Byakugan_ to help us or not."

"Why don't you give it a try, Hina-chan?" Hana inquired as she turned her head in direction of her best friend, who blinked in confusion. "Naruto-kun tends to listen to you. Just tell him that if we rest until sunrise we'll be able to reach Konohagakure quicker."

"I-I guess I could give it a try." Hinata whispered a tad timidly, and Hana smiled reassuringly at her. After deactivating _Byakugan_, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan increased her pace, and approached Naruto's side only to look down seconds later for a moment.

"Ano…Naruto-kun…" Hinata started slowly, both her hands grasping the straps of her backpack, and she hesitantly looked at the boy. "I-I know it is important that we reach Konohagakure soon, but…do you think we could rest for a while? I-It is fine if we only rest until dawn, it's just that…we're a bit tired…"

"What?" Naruto snapped as he turned his head in her direction, and Hinata gave one small leap at his outburst. "Oh, it's you Hinata. Sorry, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?"

Hinata licked her lips in nervousness before she repeated what she had just spoken.

"D-Do you think we could rest for a few hours?" she asked, lowering her gaze as she spoke, "Resting until dawn is fine, it's just that…w-we were thinking that if we rest now, we'll be able to reach the village sooner..."

"You want to stop?" Naruto asked as he stopped walking, and Lee took the chance to speak up.

"I think it would be better if we did." he clarified, "You see, Naruto-kun, it's only respectful if you understand that not everyone has the same stamina as you do. I surely wouldn't mind accompanying you to Konoha without stopping, but we must think of the girls."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't really think about that." Naruto apologized as he rested his hand behind his head, "I was so focused in going back, and talk to Tsunade-baachan…really, I am sorry, but if everybody agrees, then we shall camp for the night."

"There's a small clearing that way." Hinata spoke up as she pointed towards her left, and everyone turned to her. There were tensed veins reaching up from her upper cheeks to her temples. "We could camp there. We will be protected by the trees."

With two nods both Lee and Hana turned around, and started walking in direction of the clearing. Hinata was just about to follow them when five fingers wrapped around her upper-arm, causing the girl to look to her side.

Despite of her own nervousness, Hinata did notice Naruto's discomfort.

"I'm really sorry…for not noticing you guys were tired." the blond apologized as he looked down, without dropping his hand, but Hinata said nothing. "It's just that…I can't wait to find out if everything's true. I mean…can it really be true?"

Hinata's eyes softened as she listened to him. She could still remember the stunned look on his face after she had uttered Kushina's surname, and of how Naruto had focused his attention on the picture where both Kushina and Minato were.

She knew it was only normal for Naruto to want to find out the truth…

…Especially since he had no idea of who his parents were.

"I mean, if that's true…" Naruto continued, and Hinata felt his grip on her arm increase a little bit though not enough to hurt her, "I don't know… I just want to figure out everything as soon as possible and…and I'm sure only Tsunade-baachan has the answers I am looking for."

For a moment nothing was said, but after licking her lips in nervousness, Hinata finally raised a hand. Gently, she rested her hand over Naruto's, and squeezed it. At the careful and tender touch, Naruto raised his dark orbs, and stared directly at Hinata's pallid eyes.

"It's going to be okay." Hinata said in her low tone, a faint smile now on her lips, "I'm sure Hokage-sama will be able to help you. Don't be nervous."

"Hinata…"

"Let's just rest for a few hours." Hinata continued, her voice now caring a note of caring and softness. After squeezing Naruto's hand one last time, the heiress was about to let her arm fall to her side when the blond suddenly entwined his fingers with hers.

Gasping, Hinata looked down at their now joined hands, and felt blood rushing at full speed towards her cheeks. Shyly, she gazed at Naruto's face, and felt herself go red when he suddenly grinned at her.

"I promise I'll do my best to stay calm…at least for now." Naruto reassured her, and Hinata struggled not to lose her balance when he squeezed her hand, "And err…I guess I should take the chance to thank you."

"Eh?" was Hinata's bright reply as she stared confusedly at the boy, who simply continued smiling at her.

"Thank you for always being next to me, Hinata."

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan looked down at those words, in a desperate attempt to conceal her blush although the light from the stars did not exactly revealed her reddened cheeks. However, before she could even think of something to say, Lee's voice echoed from behind her.

"C'mon guys! The sooner we sleep, the sooner we'll be able to get up, and start moving again!"

"Yeah, we're coming!" Naruto shouted back as he raised his free hand in the air, and then he turned to Hinata again. "So, what do you say? Do you think I'll be able to sleep for a couple of hours? Because personally I don't think I will."

"I-I could stay awake too…if you'd like…" Hinata finished in a low voice, and the boy smiled adorably at her before he shook his head.

"No, Lee's right. Everybody needs to rest. I'll just try to deal with my problems by myself." Naruto answered, and before Hinata knew what she was doing, she increased her grip on the boy's hand when she felt that he was about to let go off her. At the sudden clutch, Naruto blinked. "Is there something wrong?"

"I-I…" Hinata stammered before she dropped her eyes, and waited a few seconds before she tried to speak again. "I just want to say that…you don't have to do everything alone. I mean…I-I hope you know that…I am here if…you need me…"

"Aw, thank you, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, and the heiress gasped in surprise when he unexpectedly pulled her hand, consequently pulling her into an unanticipated hug. "I promise I'll remember that in the future!"

Oh dear heavens, she could not faint. She could not faint!

"Oops! Sorry!" Naruto apologized all of a sudden at same time he gently pushed Hinata backwards, and the girl blinked in a desperate attempt to stop the light-headedness that had began to control her when she had felt Naruto's arms around her. "Sorry, I forgot you don't like it when I touch you."

Wait. Say what?

"I mean, you do have the tendency of fainting whenever I do something to you, so…" Naruto stopped rambling as he raised a hand towards the back of his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything."

"N-No, i-it's okay." Hinata stuttered as she felt herself to red, but she still gave one step backwards without thinking, "L-Let's just go before the others start wondering where we are."

"Sure." was all Naruto said as a reply, and the two young adults quickly made their way towards where both Lee and Hana stood. Without wanting to waste any more time, both Lee and Naruto laid down on their respective sleeping-bags while Hinata put hers next to Hana's.

"We'll get up when sun rises, Naruto-kun." Lee reassured the boy next to him without tearing his eyes off the starry sky. Silently, Naruto glanced sideways at him, "Don't worry. I understand you're probably too excited about going back, but try to rest for a while anyway. Before you know it, Hokage-sama will be telling you all about your past."

Naruto nodded at that before he crossed his arms behind his head, and also stared at the sky. Yes, he could hardly wait to finally unveil the mystery that surrounded his past and the story about his parents.

* * *

Tiredly, Tsunade reached out for the bottle of sake she had put on the floor, next to her chair, and opened it. Without tearing her eyes away from the medical document she was examining, Tsunade took a long sip from her drink before she let out a sigh. Despite of the fact she had been trying to stay focused in what she was doing, Tsunade could not stop her mind from going back to Naruto.

She wondered if he had already found out about the truth…

"I need to sleep." Tsunade murmured to herself as she ran her fingers through her hair, but as soon as those words abandoned her lips, she stared down at the document in front of her. The unmoving piece of paper seemed to be mocking her, with all the black words that covered its surface, and for a second the Hokage wondered if it would feel good to shred it to pieces.

"Why am I surrounded by reckless people?" Tsunade asked herself, but instead of grasping the report, she looked behind her shoulder. The reddish-orange shade that was leisurely overcoming the once mysterious dark sky indicated that the sun was about to rise. Life would begin to conquer the streets of Konohagakure in one hour or two, which meant that Tsunade truly did not have much time to rest.

"I'll just take a nap." Tsunade mumbled, but before she could even think about standing up from the chair, a shadow hovering close to one cloud caught her attention. Widening her eyes, the Godaime almost jumped off her seat, and approached the window only to raise her right arm.

Could it be…?

In a matter of seconds, a falcon was resting on Tsunade's arm, a patch over its right eye. The Hokage really could not understand what was going on; why had Asa returned? When Mesi had been about to send the falcon back to Naruto's team, it had been decided that Asa was not to return until the four-man team was ready to go back to Konohagakure.

Tsunade's eyes widened at that realization, and the Godaime focused her attention on the falcon again. Accordingly to the schedule, Naruto and the others still had one day left, but if Asa had returned than that meant that the team had probably found something, and were finally on their way back to the village.

"Did he find…?" Tsunade asked to herself before she raised her eyes, and stared at Asa. "Thank you. You can go now."

Gently, the falcon opened its wings, and flew towards the sky again. Tsunade observed as Asa disappeared in the heavens above before she crossed her arms below her breasts, and pondered about what was going to happen soon.

At last the obscured legacy was going to be uncovered, and she would finally be able to rest.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q: **Honestly, I don't know why you're creating such suspense around Naruto discovering his heritage. We already know how he reacted!

**A: **Let me put it this way; you know how Kishimoto's Naruto reacted. You have no clue how "my" Naruto will react. You have an idea, but more sure is to come, and that's why there's a little bit of suspense.

**Q: **Is it possible for you to pair Hana with Lee? Their scene from last chapter just made me think they are perfect for each other.

**A: **I was actually surprised when some people told me that they are rooting for Lee and Hana. However, as the writer, I must admit that I never thought about pairing those two together. In fact, when I decided to develop their friendship, I did it with a purpose, which will be discovered in the story. I never really saw the two of them as a couple. Nevertheless, I am going to take in consideration your request, and who knows what may happen? Who knows which characters will be put together? Heck, aside from a few pairings, I'm not sure of that myself (laughs). Still, I want to thank everyone who told me about their preferences, whether it was about Shikamaru x Temari, Shikamaru x Hana or Lee x Hana. Like I said before, all of your opinions have been in consideration.


	27. The Delicateness of our Truths

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am speechless! 700 reviews?! Do you guys know that I almost fell of my chair when I saw that?! I am so excited! And happy too! After all the number of reviews show me that most of you are really enjoying this story. _Ohh_, I feel like hugging all of you right now! Also, I swear I will do my best to finish this story. Work is kind of getting in the way, and my opportunities to write have gotten smaller, but I will still do my best to complete _Welcome Home_! I am also planning a few more fillers for the future, but don't worry, they won't get in the way…or so I hope (hehe).

So, really, thank you everyone! Muito obrigada! Thank you very much!

* * *

**Chapter 26**

_The Delicateness of our Truths_

She honestly did not know what she was doing. In fact, she had no idea what had possessed her to do what she was currently doing; regardless of her actions in the past, Sakura could now say she was practically stalking Uchiha Sasuke.

And curiously enough, she was not exactly proud of her antics.

Cautiously, Sakura hid behind a poll, and watched as Sasuke kept walking through a rather empty street. If he had sensed her presence, then he surely was doing an awesome job acting as if he had not. But then again, that was not the most important. Oh no, what was important was her trying to figure out what was going on.

Licking her lips in anticipation, Sakura abandoned her hiding place, and continued to follow Sasuke only to stop her tracks when he turned around on a corner. After debating with herself about what she was supposed to do, Sakura decided to shrug her worry off, and went after Sasuke…

…Only to widen her eyes in disbelief at what she saw.

She had never gone to that side of the village, mostly because she never had anything to do there. But then again that was an abandoned Compound, which also explained why she had never been interested in going there on the first place.

Hurriedly, Sakura gazed at the front entrance of the Compound, and noticed that Sasuke was standing there. His head was raised high, so Sakura guessed he was taking in his surroundings. She wondered what look he had on his face on that moment…

"What are you doing here, Sakura?"

The medical-nin felt her heart skip a beat at those words, and uneasiness quickly started consuming her limbs. So, he _had_ noticed her. Sakura really did not know why that surprised her; he was Uchiha Sasuke after all…

Still without knowing what to do or say, Sakura simply watched as Sasuke finally looked over his shoulder to stare directly at her. The way his onyx-black orbs had locked with hers had been the perfect trigger to elicit her heart to start beating at full speed against her rib cage.

Good heavens, in spite of feeling unsure most of the time, Sakura simply could not ignore the effect Sasuke still had on her. And what an effect it was…

"I…I…" once again Sakura licked her lips in nervousness, and clasped her hands behind her back as she struggled to come up with the proper words. "I-I just wanted to talk to you… I really didn't plan on…stalking you or anything, but you…I just didn't know how to approach you…"

Instead of saying something, Sasuke just stared at the entrance of the Uchiha Compound again. He could have walked in, Sakura quickly noticed, but he was still standing motionless, almost as if he was waiting for something. Unsurely, the kunoichi gave one step forward close followed by another until she finally reached the boy's side, and stopped.

She really had no idea about what had lead her to be so bold, but Sakura guessed it was simply too late to go back now.

Without saying a word, Sasuke started walking, and after pausing for a second, Sakura went after him. Glancing around, Sakura noticed how that place resembled to all of the other places in Konohagakure, being the only difference the fact that the Compound was absolutely empty of any sort of life.

Obviously, there were some damages caused by time and weather conditions, but Sakura knew they could be repaired without much trouble. However, before the medical-nin could even think of something to say, Sasuke turned to his left, and stopped his tracks. In confusion, Sakura mimicked his actions only to blink in confusion when she noticed that they were now facing an abandoned residence.

Suddenly, Sasuke raised a hand, but stopped when the tip of his fingers caressed the doorknob. His facial expression, blank as always, did not help Sakura to understand why he seemed to be hesitating about opening that door. However, after a few seconds just observing the young man, Sakura widened her eyes.

Immediately, she stared up at the house in front of her, her heartbeat increasing as she observed every inch of the wall in front of her. Could it really be? Could it be that she was currently standing in front of Sasuke's house?

Like everybody else, Sakura knew about what had happened with the Uchiha Clan, and she was also aware of what Itachi had done. As nervousness started consuming her once more, Sakura glanced sideways at Sasuke again, her hands now closed into loosened fists. She doubted Sasuke had entered in the Uchiha Compound ever since that night, so perhaps…perhaps…

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura called out before she could stop herself from breaking the silence, but the young man simply continued staring at the doorknob. "It's okay. I know you can do this."

Sakura honestly did not know what had possessed her to say those words. Part of her wanted nothing but to cheer Sasuke up, and support him no matter what. However, the other side of her simply wanted to give him space, and actually wait to see if Sasuke requested for her assistance.

'_It's too late now.' _Sakura thought to herself as she continued staring at Sasuke's face, and she mechanically closed her hands into tighter fists. She truly wanted to help him, especially since Sasuke had actually waited for her before he entered inside the Uchiha Compound, but now that they were actually there…now that they were actually standing in front of Sasuke's former home, Sakura simply did not know what to do or say.

It actually took the medical-nin a few seconds for her to understand that Sasuke was glancing sideways at her. Due to her fretfulness, Sakura had failed to sense the boy's eyes on her, but when she did, she could not help but feel even more anxious.

Then, still without uttering a word, Sasuke focused his attention on the doorknob at same time he twisted it around. Sakura could swear her mouth went dry on that moment, but she struggled to ignore that as she observed Sasuke finally opening the door.

Sakura felt her breath get stuck on her throat as she stared at the empty entrance of the house, a hand pressed against her chest. That was it. That was the moment when she was going to find out even more about Sasuke. That was the moment when she would finally fully understand his past…

Without making any noise, Sasuke stepped through the door, and quickly disappeared inside. Without wanting to waste more time, Sakura rushed after him, glancing around at her surroundings as she did. The house looked quite stable despite of its age, and aside from dust, everything was in place.

A faint smile graced Sakura's lips when her eyes landed on a picture that was standing on an accent table. Since she did not want to touch anything, the girl clasped her hands behind her back before she lowered her torso, and found herself staring at Sasuke's family picture; there was Sasuke's parents, both smiling proudly while Itachi stood behind his father. A little Sasuke was in front of his mother, with his arms crossed against his chest as he glanced sideways.

He looked like he had not wanted to take that picture.

Glancing at Sasuke's parents, the first thing Sakura noticed was that Sasuke had his father's hairstyle, and his elegant posture. Then, as she focused her attention on Sasuke's mother, Sakura could not help but think that she was a beautiful woman. For Sakura's opinion, both Itachi and Sasuke had gained many of their mother's facial features, above all her eyes and hair colour.

A cracking sound snapped Sakura out of her reverie, and the pink haired girl looked ahead only to see Sasuke stepping through a door. Hastily, she went after him only to stop her tracks when she reached the door, and saw what was inside.

In front of her was a Japanese-style room, and Sasuke was currently standing in the middle of it. Licking her lips in nervousness, Sakura shifted closer to the door, but did not enter. Although she did not understand what was going on, there was something in Sasuke's posture that was telling her to stay back.

It was in silence that Sakura watched as Sasuke went down on one knee, and rested a hand on the floor. Even from where she stood, the medical-nin could easily make out the smears that were scattered throughout the floor.

Dark crimson smudges…

Sakura's eyes widened in realization when her brain finally processed what those smudges were, and she immediately felt sick. Unable to watch that moment, she turned her head to her side, her right hand resting on the door-frame.

"Father…" Sakura heard Sasuke growl under his breath, but she still kept her eyes locked with the wall next to her. She did not know if Sasuke was praying or making an unvoiced promise to his parents, but still she was aware that it was only polite to give him those minutes.

What Sakura had not been expecting was for Sasuke to appear next to her without any sort of warning moments later. Blinking, the medical-nin gave on step backwards only to notice how close they were…so close that all she had to do was raise a hand to touch his torso.

"Let's go." was all Sasuke said before he walked past her, and Sakura leaned a hand against her chest as she watched him leave. After a few seconds not knowing what to do, Sakura finally decided to go after Sasuke only to stop walking when she spotted him as he stepped out of the house.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cried out before she rushed after her former team-mate, and she mentally breathed in relief when she noticed he had stopped walking. "I…I know I'm probably not the best person for the job, but…but if you ever need to talk, then…then remember that I am here. I promise I won't be a hindrance to you!"

Slowly, Sasuke looked over his shoulder, and once again Sakura felt her breath get stuck on her throat when their eyes met. There were so many secrets and mysteries swirling on those onyx-black orbs…there were so many unspoken wishes and desires…

"Thank you," Sasuke said all of a sudden, and Sakura's heart skipped a beat at his voice. Without saying anything else, the member of the Uchiha Clan turned his back to Sakura again, and started walking towards the main entrance of the Compound.

A strong wind blew from west as Sakura watched Sasuke walking away, and she ignored the way her hair was caressing her cheeks as she locked her eyes with the boy's back. It was strange; one second, Sasuke would be pushing her away with his cold demeanour, while on the following second he would be uttering words that lead her to believe that they had grown closer.

And that was simply confusing…

* * *

With an attentive eye, Kakashi watched as Tsunade walked around in her office, hands clasped behind her back. It was official; Naruto and his team were minutes away from Konohagakure, and it was not difficult to know to where they would be heading to as soon as they stepped through the gates.

The problem was the lack of information. There was nothing that could tell them if Naruto had indeed found what he needed or not. Although they were returning sooner, that was not the indication they required to find out if things had went as planned or not.

"Will you stay here when he arrives?" Tsunade inquired, and Kakashi stared at her before nodding faintly in return. "Good. You will be able to give him more details about what happened in the past."

"It's not a problem." Kakashi answered as he crossed his arms against his chest, his back leaning against the wall behind him. "I am quite curious as well. Also, this will be your last assignment as the Hokage, right?"

Tsunade stopped passing at that question, her eyes finding Kakashi's quicker than a heartbeat. After a few seconds in silence, the Godaime pressed her back against her desk, and also crossed her arms loosely underneath her breasts.

"Yes, that's right." Tsunade answered with a nod as she finally looked away from the Jounin to stare at the floor in front of her. "I promised myself I would only step down after telling Naruto about his heritage. That is the last thing I can do as the Fifth Hokage, and I won't screw it up."

"Still, it may be harder than it seems." Kakashi pointed out, and once again Tsunade glanced at him. "We do not know how Naruto took the news or if he did in fact find something that told him about his parents. Naruto is the most unpredictable ninja of his generation, and we mustn't forget that."

"Well, I want to believe he'll be overjoyed." Tsunade commented as she raised her chin, and stared at the ceiling. "Unpredictable or not, this is still Naruto we're talking about. Like you and Yamato said, he'll probably be angry at the beginning, but I'm sure he'll end up accepting the truth quite cheerfully."

Kakashi had been about to speak up when a knock echoed through the office. Hastily, Tsunade told the person that was outside to walk in, and seconds later Ino emerged from the hall. There was a panicky expression on her face, and the way she was wheezing indicated that she had probably run to the office.

"Tsunade-sama, we have problems!" Ino declared, her right hand still resting on the doorknob, and the Hokage immediately straightened up at those words. Glancing hurriedly at Kakashi, Ino continued. "It's Mesi-san!"

"Mesi?" Kakashi repeated as he straightened up as well, his arms now resting on his sides. "What happened? Where is she?"

"She was taken to the hospital!" Ino quickly answered, "Shizune-san is with her! She was the one who told me to come and get you! It has something to do with a sudden weakness and irregular breathing!"

"Tsunade-sama…" Kakashi started, but the Hokage did not even let him finish.

"I am going to the hospital immediately." she announced before staring at the male Jounin, "Kakashi, I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to come. I am sure this is nothing life-threatening, so don't worry. As soon as I see it fit, I shall call for you."

"But…"

"I need you to stay here in case Naruto arrives." Tsunade swiftly interrupted him as she made her way towards the door of her office. "Don't worry; I am sure Mesi is fine. If what Ino said it's all then all Mesi needs is some rest."

Without saying anything else, Tsunade stepped into the hall, closing the door behind her. For a few seconds Kakashi just stood on the same spot, thoughts running at full speed through his head until he finally decided to walk towards the closest window. Silently, he stared outside, and watched as Tsunade walked out of the building, and quickly made her way towards the hospital while Ino followed the Hokage in silence.

Kakashi honestly did not know what could be going on. Last time he had seen Mesi she had looked fine; in fact, she appeared to be more than ready to make her way to Sunagakure, where she would meet up with the Kazekage. Kakashi knew that Mesi was not someone who got easily sick, and that was why he was beginning to wonder if he should go to the hospital.

However, while his heart ached for information, his head kept reminding him of Tsunade's order.

Sighing, Kakashi turned his back against the window, and leaned against it. Closing his eyes, he reached out for his vest's pocket, and touched the round object he kept inside. Its smooth surface was enough to start calming him down, but before Kakashi could try to think of something else and ease his worry, someone knocked on the door.

Before Kakashi could do anything aside from opening his eyes at the sound, the door was opened, and the Jounin tensed up slightly. A grinning Lee was the first person to walk inside, close followed by a flushed Hana. Hinata followed the medical-nin swiftly, a pink shade on her usual pale cheeks.

All of them looked rather tired, probably from rushing at full speed to Konoha, but before Kakashi could even observe their condition properly, Naruto stepped inside the office. Just like Lee carried no physical hint – aside from a light pant – related to tiredness, Naruto did not look exhausted at all. In fact, Naruto looked quite determined; his eyes glowing with a glint of willpower that usually only surfaced when the boy was in a battle.

In his arms, Kakashi quickly noticed, was an antique-looking book.

"Where's Tsunade-baachan?" Naruto inquired all of a sudden, his voice deep and strong, and Kakashi dropped his hand from the pocket in order to cross his arms against his chest. "I need to talk to her."

"Hokage-sama had to go to the hospital." Kakashi declared without changing his position, "However, I believe that I will be able to answer all of your questions. That if you have any, of course."

"I guess that means you know why Tsunade-baachan sent us to the Land of the Whirlpool." Naruto pointed out, but the Jounin did not move an inch. "And as a result, you are wondering if we found anything in there."

"I am rather curious to hear the answer, yes." Kakashi replied as he crossed his right leg over his left one. "Will you tell me about what you found or shall I ask about it first?"

"We found this." Naruto answered as he made his way towards the desk, and put the book he had been holding down. "Actually, it was thanks to Hinata that I managed to find that and a few diaries as well."

After glancing at Naruto one last time, Kakashi straightened up, and walked to the desk before he rested a hand on top of the book. And it was then that he saw the title that had been scribbled on the cover.

_Memories of U. Kushina_

"Hinata and I observed that album and the diaries, and even though we found them quite puzzling, nothing prepared us for the last picture of that album." Naruto continued, and Kakashi could not help but be amazed by the controlled way his former student was talking to him. Everyone had been so focused in the possible resentment that would follow that discovery that they had somehow forgotten that Naruto was in fact the most volatile ninja, and that therefore he could astonish them when they least expected it.

Carefully not to damage the old pages, Kakashi opened the book, and quickly searched for the last page. A wave of melancholy and longing took over him when his eye rested on two familiar faces.

There was the breathtaking Kushina, smiling widely as she stood next to a young man, whose lips were curled upwards in a frightening familiar grin.

Silently, Kakashi looked away from the picture only to notice a small text that had been scribbled in the interior of the cover. Without wasting a second, he mentally read it. If Naruto had not been capable of adding two and two together when he saw the picture, he surely did so when he read that passage

_May you have a blissful and joyful marriage__, Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina._

The anticipation had finally come to an end.

"Is it true?" Naruto asked all of a sudden, and Kakashi noted the hint of anxiety in the boy's tone of voice. "What's written in that album…is it true? Is the Fourth Hokage really my father?"

Kakashi glanced at Kushina and Minato's picture one last time before he gazed at Naruto. Behind the blond stood Hinata, Lee, and Hana, all of them holding their breaths as they too waited for the answer to that question. Then, Kakashi rested his eyes on Naruto's face, and saw how his tenacity was beginning to quiver underneath his once determined eyes.

"The Fourth Hokage was my teacher." Kakashi started, his heart aching as memories from his childhood started consuming his thoughts, and he paused for a second before continuing, "And yes, he was your father."

The silence that followed that declaration could not be any thicker. Breaths had gotten stuck on various throats as all attention focused solemnly on the young man that was standing in the middle of the room. Sapphire blue eyes took seconds before they fell on the open album that was still lying in the middle of the desk, and two tanned hands were slowly closed into tight fists.

Knuckles turned white at the unexpected pressure while Naruto's frown got deeper.

Kakashi simply continued observing his former student with a cautious expression on his face. He honestly did not know what was going to happen next; Naruto had looked indomitable when he first stepped inside the office, but as minutes rolled by his determination had given place to apprehension.

And now his nervousness was gradually being consumed by antagonism.

"The Fourth was my father…" Naruto whispered, his words only adding more tension to the silence that was dangerously hovering above their heads, but Kakashi decided not to say a word. Then, before someone could move or even say something, Naruto threw his head backwards, and started laughing. "The Fourth Hokage's my father!"

Kakashi narrowed his eye at that. Regardless of how it could look to an outsider, he had noticed the hint of bitterness in Naruto's voice. However, the Jounin decided to stay silent as he watched as Naruto kept on laughing, his team mates staring at him in confusion.

"This is really a bad joke." Naruto declared as he finally calmed down, and Kakashi narrowed his eye even more at that observation. "You really expect me to believe in that? If that was true then why did I have to go through hell when I was a kid? Why the hell do I have the Nine-Fox trapped inside of me?"

"That is the truth." Kakashi repeated, his voice coming out controlled and calm, "On the night you were born, the Nine-Tail attacked Konoha, and your father went to help the village. Near the end of the battle, the Fourth was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice; he used a seal to invoke the powers of the death god, and sealed the Nine-Tail into his newborn son, in exchange for his own life."

After uttering those words, Kakashi decided to give Naruto a moment to digest all of the information. Truthfully he had been expecting for Tsunade to be there too, to tell Naruto about a few things as well, but regrettably now that he had started there was no way he could stop.

"Your father's dying wish was for you to be viewed as a hero, and not as the container of the demon fox, but his request was not honoured by most of the villagers." Kakashi continued, his eye never abandoning Naruto's now quiet form. "Few people honoured your father's wish, one of them being the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

From where he stood, Kakashi took notice of the way Naruto's eyes widened at the name, and he mentally took a deep breath before he decided to speak up again.

"The Third Hokage was the one who ordered the villagers never to tell you about your heritage, mostly because he wanted to keep everything about the fox a secret." the Jounin paused for a second, "You can say that Sarutobi-sama wanted your generation to accept you for you, but unfortunately the elders disliked you so much that they started to influence their children into resenting you as well."

"He should have thought twice before doing what he did." Naruto hissed all of a sudden, and for a split of a second Kakashi wondered about which Hokage he was referring to. "How could you expect me to be thrilled about this? My own father locked the damned fox inside of me, and didn't think about the consequences!"

"I already told you; your father wanted the villagers to consider you a hero." Kakashi interjected, "As for the Third Hokage, he simply wanted to make sure you were ready before telling you about your inheritance."

"So, you just stood in the shadows, and allowed everyone to hate me because of something I had no control over?" Naruto practically spat, and then he let out another bitter laugh, "You know what? I have to go before I end up doing something I probably won't regret doing."

"Naruto…" Kakashi called out, but his student ignored him as he turned his back, and walked out of the office without even looking back. Quickly, Kakashi glanced at Hinata, causing the girl to blink when she felt his gaze on her.

Nodding quickly, Hinata left the office, and went after Naruto, leaving Lee and Hana behind.

"I will tell Tsunade-sama that you are back." Kakashi announced as he looked at the two young shinobi, who stared back at him. "You may go rest. I am sure Hokage-sama will ask for your presence later on."

Nodding in silent agreement, both Lee and Hana also abandoned the office, closing the door as they went. When he was finally alone, Kakashi focused his attention on the album in front of him, his eyes resting on Kushina and Minato's faces.

It was done…

…Now all they could do was to hope that the delicateness of the unveiled truth would not lead to hostility and fury.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

_**Authoress Note: **_Okay, apparently there are still a few doubts about my Original Character, Fuzen Hana, even though we're already on chapter 26. Therefore, I am going to leave here information about her, though you'll have to wait to figure out more about her as the story progresses.

**Name: **Fuzen Hana

**Affiliation:** Takigakure (aka Hidden Village in a Waterfall)

**Family:** Fuzen Tetsuya (father)

Fuzen Akemi (mother)

Akimichi Choza (uncle)

Akimichi Cho (aunt)

Akimichi Choji (cousin)

**Medical Jutsus: **_Shōsen no Jutsu _(aka Mystical Palm Technique)

_Chikatsu Saisei no Jutsu _(aka Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique)

**Note: **Hana has developed a few jutsus herself, but those are only exposed when necessary.

**Romantic Interest: **Nara Shikamaru

Any other questions (even about other characters) feel free to ask them.


	28. The Bonds through which We Live

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Alright, so I have been anxiously waiting for the day I would post this chapter. It's not of great importance, but I cannot help but want to know your reactions to it. Anyway, I have to mention something about the Sasuke x Sakura scene from the last chapter. While some of you considerate it to be poor and not very exciting, others enjoyed it, and told me they thought it was well written. Well, the thing is that Sasuke x Sakura is one of the hardest pairings for me to write about because…well, this is Sasuke we're talking about. I will do my best to develop my writing when it comes to that couple. For now, though, I can only hope you'll continue to enjoy _Welcome Home_.

Anyway, I want to leave here a special thanks to _**Rose Tiger**_, _**Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**Shale - Heart of the Pack**_, _**pyrongirl**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**62635377**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Silvan Arrow**_, _**animelover00094**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**lilusagi12**_, _**Elarhy**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Remuko**_, _**fanfic drawer**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Cueil**_, _**jolteonforever**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**alwaysNaruHina**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**DefectiveAngel**_, _**ifdreamscametrue if he knew**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**the reader who did not leave his/her name**_, _**Cenright**_ and _**Gabo 1602**_. Thank you for always being there for me!

* * *

**Chapter 27**

_The Bonds through which We Live_

It was with a content yet tired sigh that Hana opened the door of the house, and stepped inside. As she put her backpack on the floor, next to her feet, the girl started taking her sandals off before she stared at the hall in front of her. Then, she decided to announce herself with a suitably loud 'tadaima'.

It took only a matter of seconds for her aunt, Akimichi Cho, to emerge from a door, cleaning her hands with a towel. An apron was around her waist, but what caught Hana's attention was the look that her aunt was carrying on her face; she looked both exhausted and disheartened.

"Oba-chan, what's wrong?" Hana asked as she finally put her sandals aside only to straighten up seconds later. "You look troubled. Did something happen?"

"Oh Hana…" Cho groaned in tiredness, and the medical-nin blinked at her aunt's worn out tone. "I know you just got back, and I am glad to see you're alright, but I need to ask you something. Could you please go talk to Choji? He hasn't come down from his bedroom since yesterday, and I am afraid something probably happened between him and Ino. Not even Choza was able to talk to him."

Hana immediately felt a weight fall on her chest at those words. Something had happened between her cousin and Ino? Had Choji finally reached his limit, and decided to break up with the girl?

"I know you're probably worn out from your mission, but can you please go, and try talking to him?" Cho continued, "He has always listened to you, and I'm so worried about him. He hasn't even eaten anything!"

"I can try." Hana answered as she nodded, though a little hesitantly. After smiling faintly at her aunt in reassurance, the medical-nin made her way towards Choji's room at same time she struggled to ignore the way her legs were protesting. Her aunt was right; she _was_ somnolent from the mission, but it was not as if she could ignore such plea.

As she stopped in front of the door that led to Choji's room, Hana took a deep breath, and knocked three times. That had always been their signal; when Choji wanted to go visit her in her bedroom he would also knock three times, consequently announcing his presence and his need to talk to her.

"Choji?" Hana called out as she gave one step backwards, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm back. Your mum told me that something happened between you and Ino. I won't force you to tell me what happened, but don't forget that I'm here in case you need to talk okay?"

Hana unconsciously chewed on her lower lip as she waited for something to echo from the other side of the door. When no noise was heard, she licked her lips, and continued.

"Also, I will bring you some food in a few minutes. Like I said, I may not know what happened, but you have to eat." once again, only silence answered her. Gently, Hana rested a hand on the doorknob, and tried to open the door.

It took Hana by surprise when the door actually opened, allowing her to peer inside.

The girl's eyes softened when her eyes found the plump figure of her cousin, sitting on the floor. Choji had his back resting against the side of his bed, his head down, and for a moment, Hana wondered if he was sleeping.

Carefully not to make a sound, the medical-nin walked inside the bedroom, and approached Choji's quiet form only to sit on the floor, on her knees, when she was inches away from him. Titling her head to the side, Hana observed her cousin's face, mentally taking notice of his colourless skin tone.

Grimacing, Hana continued to stare at her cousin for a few minutes, listening to his soft snore. Although she wanted to hear him say it, she truly believed that something had happened between Choji and Ino that had affected their relationship deeply. What Hana hoped was that her feeling of Uchiha Sasuke being somewhat involved was simply that…a feeling.

Still, regardless if Sasuke was directly or indirectly involved in what had happened, Hana could not stop a wave of irritation from emerging from the depths of her soul as she thought of Ino. She had always hoped that Ino would eventually see how lucky she was for having a boy like Choji always watching over her. Hana had honestly hoped that Ino would forget all about Sasuke, and actually give her cousin a chance to make her happy.

But now Hana could see she had been foolish for trusting in Ino.

As she bit on her lower lip, the brunette reached out for Choji's shoulder, and tenderly shook her cousin a little. A snore was interrupted halfway as a pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing two dark orbs.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Hana greeted with a faint smile, and Choji stared weirdly at her for a moment before he blinked in indolence. When her cousin did not say anything, Hana titled her head to the side. "I've only been gone for a week, and you already forgot who I am?"

"Hana!" Choji finally exclaimed, his eyes widening in realization, and the medical-nin could not help but giggle at his behaviour. "When did you arrive?"

"A few minutes ago," Hana answered, "And before you ask, I did knock before I walked in."

"I probably fell asleep." Choji tried to explain, "I haven't been sleeping that much. But anyway, you arrived a few minutes ago? How did it go? How's Land of Whirlpool? Oh, and does Shikamaru know that you're back?"

"The mission went fine, and Land of the Whirlpool is an extraordinary place." Hana answered, her smile fading slightly as she spoke. "As for Shikamaru-san, no, I haven't talked to him yet. In fact, he probably isn't even aware of my return."

"Oh? Well, maybe you should go talk to him, because I know he's been quite worried about you." Choji advised as he stood up from the floor only to sit down on his bed while Hana did not move an inch. "He's probably at the library with Temari, so you probably sho—"

"What happened between you and Ino?" Hana swiftly interrupted him, not even bothering to go around the bush, and Choji promptly went silent. The girl silently took in the way her cousin adverted his attention to a random spot on the floor, and for a long period Hana wondered if he was ever going to answer her. "Your mother is worried about you. She told me something happened between you and Ino."

"Nothing happened." Choji answered still without making eye-contact, and Hana mentally sighed in weariness. "My mum always tends to exaggerate things. You should know that better than most people."

"Did it have anything to do with Sasuke-san?"

She was swimming in dangerous waters. Hana knew very well that Choji could get angry due to her persistence, but it was not as if she could stop now. She was aware that was none of her business, and she knew her cousin could tell her so, but still Hana felt like she had to ask.

"That…doesn't matter." Choji finally whispered under his breath, and Hana stared at his face. His eyes no longer held their always present twinkle, and she could not help but feel a pang against her chest at the sight of his heartbroken face.

Unconsciously, Hana closed her hands into fists, her eyes never abandoning Choji's face. She was honestly beginning to dislike Ino. Hana knew that if there was someone who did not deserve to be hurt that was Choji. And he certainly did not deserve to have his heart ripped from his chest only to be stepped on.

It did not matter what reasons had lead Ino to approach Uchiha Sasuke; Hana simply could not forgive the blonde for hurting Choji even if she had not mean to do so.

"…All you have to know is that we broke up." Choji continued in a hushed tone, his eyes now locked with his knees. "It's my fault this dragged for so long so you don't need to get mad at Ino or anything. Besides, I guess we all knew this was how everything was going to end so…"

Someone had once said that 'to forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love' and that 'in return, you will receive untold peace and happiness'. Up until that day Hana had always thought that was correct, but now, as she kept staring at her cousin, she could not help but disagree.

Yes, it was touching to see that even broken-hearted, Choji was still willing to forgive Ino. But in return, he only felt misery and loneliness. And that was exactly why this time Hana was going to open an exception.

"Everything is going to be alright." Hana stated all of a sudden, and she rested a hand on her cousin's knee. Slowly, Choji gazed back at her, his eyes darker than usual. When their eyes met, Hana smiled faintly at him. "Trust me."

With one last smile, the medical-nin stood up, but as she got ready to leave, she felt five fingers wrap around her wrist. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder, and noticed the way Choji was looking at her.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, and once more Hana felt the corner of her lips curl upwards into a smile. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Don't worry; I'm not going to do anything crazy." Hana reassured him as she gently moved her wrist, silently requesting for Choji to let her go. "I'll be back in a few minutes, but while I'm out why don't you go downstairs? I'm sure oba-chan will be delighted to see you eat a little."

With those words, Hana felt Choji's grip on her wrist weaken, and she took the chance to get free. Then, without giving time for her cousin to say anything, she left the bedroom, and quickly made her way towards the front door.

It took Hana less than fifteen minutes to find out where Ino was, and all thanks to Inuzuka Kiba. Thankfully she had stumbled on the boy ten minutes after her search had began, and he had easily pointed out the direction she should take to find the Yamanaka girl.

There were only two problems. One, Hana could feel that her body was still aching for rest, but the adrenaline that was pumping through her body was so high that her hands were even shaking.

The second problem had to do with the person that was with Ino.

_She's just outside her father's flower shop. Shikamaru's with her._

Hana had truly not been expecting to see the member of the Nara Clan so soon, but she still did her best not to ponder much about that. She had to do what she was going to do for Choji, and not even the sluggish Shikamaru was going to stop her.

All she had to do was to keep her eyes away from the boy's figure, and everything would be fine.

…Hopefully.

"Hey! It's Hana!" a voice exclaimed all of a sudden, and the medical-nin snapped from her daze only to look ahead, and notice that she had finally arrived at her destination.

Ino had been the one who had called out for her since she was turned to her. Thankfully, Shikamaru had his back to her, but Hana knew it was only going to take a matter of seconds until he decided to look behind him.

And that meant she had to be quick.

She could not allow for her eyes to meet his.

She could not let his presence there change her mind.

"It's great to have you back!" Ino continued, a wide smile on her face, and for a second Hana wondered about how on earth she could be smiling. "I really need your help. I don't know if you have talked to your cousin already, but Choji has been behaving quite weirdly. Can you believe he actually told me he wanted to break up with me?"

Ignoring the way her heart skipped various beats when she walked past Shikamaru, Hana focused all of her attention on Ino. Her hands were still shaking, now due to the anger that was beginning to bubble inside of her, but Hana managed to remain silent.

"I bet he only said that because he's jealous." Ino continued, and for a second Hana could swear she saw red. "I know I haven't been spending much time with him, but honestly, can't he see I'm trying to do a good deed here? Besides, am I really to blame for the fact Sasuke-kun hasn't changed m—"

Ino was cut off abruptly when Hana suddenly raised her right hand, and slapped the blonde right across the cheek. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the street, and some heads even turned to see what had happened. Shikamaru, who had stood quiet during the whole scene, widened his eyes in shock as long blonde tresses flew in the air.

A deep shade of pink was already crawling its way up Ino's cheek as the girl kept her head turned to the side while Hana's hand was still high in the air.

"I know this is none of my business," Hana started, feeling her throat tightening up, and for a second she felt tears blurring her vision, but she managed to keep them down, "but don't forget this is Choji you're talking about…My cousin and the boy who has loved you for years!"

Gently, Ino cupped her wounded cheek, but still kept her head in the same position, bangs now covering her eyes. Shikamaru parted his lips to speak, but was unable to utter one single word since Hana decided to continue before she lost all of her adrenaline.

"Don't blame him for your mistakes! You are the one who decided to chase after Sasuke-san even though you had a boyfriend! I don't care if you were doing it for someone else's sake, you should have thought about the consequences of your actions!"

By now, many other heads had turned in their direction, but Hana struggled to ignore them.

"And you know what the most amazing thing is?" the brunette asked as she unhurriedly lowered her hand, her facial expression softening while her following words were dipped in sadness, "Choji doesn't blame you at all. He still forgave you wholeheartedly."

Hana felt her whole body shake as adrenalin and anger started dissipating from her veins. In a desperate attempt to keep her trembling hidden, the girl closed her hands into tight fists, and swallowed hard only to notice that her throat had gone dry.

Before she could stop herself, Hana glanced in Shikamaru's way, but when her eyes found his, she looked away. He had a flabbergasted expression on his face. Then, without bothering to say anything, Hana spun around, and walked away.

Her heart felt heavy on her chest, and as the distance between her and the two members of Team Ten increased, the heavier her heart felt. Taking a deep breath, Hana gazed at the sky, and this time she did not even bother to try to keep tears away when they started blurring her vision again.

…_All you have to know is that we broke up.__ It's my fault this dragged for so long so you don't need to get mad at Ino or anything. Besides, I guess we all knew this was how everything was going to end so…_

Heavens, Choji had forgiven Ino… He had forgiven her despite of everything she had done to him…

A sad smile graced Hana's features as she recalled the look Choji had carried on his face when he had told her about the ending of his relationship with Ino. Hana had always thought that her cousin was too kind-hearted for his own good, and that everyone loved him for that, but now, after everything that had happened, Hana could not help but be proud.

Choji, who many had constantly put down in the past, especially during his childhood, was probably one of the strongest members of his generation. And Hana knew he was the perfect example of how forgiveness was indeed the attribute of the strong.

* * *

It was on top of the Hokage Monument that Hinata found Naruto, his back turned to her as he stared down at the village. The girl honestly could not explain why she had been the one to follow Naruto. Perhaps it had something to do with the way Kakashi had looked at her at the office, or maybe it had something to do with the way her heart was racing, or possibly it had something to do with her own need to make sure that Naruto was alright…

…But then again, it was not as if a reason was required now. After all, she was already there, standing a few meters away from Naruto, ignoring the way the wind kept pushing her long, dark locks towards her eyes.

Were people really expecting her to do something? Why had Kakashi looked at her, silently asking for her to go after Naruto? Hinata knew that Sakura would probably do a much better job than her; they had been team mates for years after all. That not to mention they had a solid friendship, while all she had was…

Shaking her head, Hinata struggled to push away all doubts to the back of her brain before she raised her chin. No, she could not start dwelling in her lack of self-confidence. She was the one who was standing behind Naruto, which meant that she was the one who had to approach him.

But how was she supposed to do that?

As she pressed her right hand against her chest, Hinata gave one step forward, which was close followed by another. It was only when she was two steps away from Naruto that the girl stopped only to blink when the wind carried Naruto's voice to her ears.

"What are you doing here, Hinata?"

The girl felt her heart skip a beat at his tired tone, and lowered her eyes to the ground. On that moment she really wished she was Sakura; at least the pink haired girl would know what to do and what to say in that situation.

"I-I…" Hinata stammered as she tried to find the proper words to say, her eyes sporadically glancing at Naruto's back as she tried to keep her uneasiness away from her words. "I-I just wanted to…to see if you're alright…"

Hinata winced at her own words. Of course he was not okay. He had just heard that the Fourth Hokage, the man that had locked the Nine-Tails inside his body, was his father. How on earth was he supposed to be alright?

"B-But," Hinata quickly started again as she felt her awkwardness gradually consuming her limbs, and she bit her lower lip, "I-If you want, I can just go a-and leave you alone. I—"

"Do they really expect me to believe the Fourth was my father?" Naruto interrupted her without any warning, and Hinata watched as he rested his hands on the railing in front of him. A small laugh followed his words, "Honestly, how could they expect me to believe that…that my father would…do something so terrible to his own son?"

For a second, Hinata wondered if Naruto had noticed that he was addressing to the Fourth Hokage as his father. His words showed how much he wanted to believe in what had recently been told to him, but his bitter laughter revealed how much trouble he was going through to actually accept that truth.

"N-Naruto-kun…"

"How could he not think about the troubles he would cause me…?" Naruto asked, his voice dropping by the second, and Hinata looked down once more. For a long period of time, the two friends just stood in the same positions, the silence around them resembling to a taunting melody.

When she looked up, Hinata saw Naruto drop his head down, his hands clutching to the fence so hard that his knuckles were turning white. All she wanted was to walk to his side, and wrap her arms around him…all she wanted was to embrace him, and tell him that everything was going to be okay…

But instead of doing what her heart was begging her to, Hinata stood put.

"If he was here…" Naruto started abruptly, his head still down and Hinata stared at his back, "If he was here I would demand for an explanation…I would tell him to explain why he chose me to be the container of a beast… I would…"

Hinata noticed the way Naruto's voice had cracked at the end, but before she could even move an inch, Naruto crouched on the ground, his hands now on his face. Without thinking twice, Hinata rushed to his side, and crouched next to him, her body moving faster than her thoughts.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered as she raised a hand to touch the boy's shoulder, but before the tip of her fingers could even caress his jacket, Naruto turned to her…

…And the first thing Hinata felt was the way he had rested his head on her shoulder. His arms were securely wrapped around her torso, just beneath her breasts, but before Hinata could even think about blushing, she felt a warm lungful of air tickle the side of her neck. Carefully not to move too much, Hinata looked at Naruto's face, and saw how his nose was inches away from her neck.

Had the reason for such embrace been different, Hinata knew she would have fainted by now.

"I'm just really…" Naruto started speaking, and the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan closed her eyes at his voice, her arms still lying dead on her sides. "I don't know…I'm really pissed off at everything, but…the Fourth was my father…"

Despite of her dizzy mind, Hinata had still managed to understand that Naruto had uttered the last sentence not because he wanted to let the world know about his heritage, but because he was still convincing himself about whom his father was.

After managing to close her hands into loosened fists, Hinata raised her arms, and felt butterflies grown on her stomach when she finally managed to return the hug. She felt silly for being so nervous when it was obvious that all Naruto wanted was some comfort, but it was not as if she could stop herself from feeling that way.

"I really wish I could scream at him." Naruto finally confessed in a low tone, and Hinata glanced down at the top of his head, ignoring the way the tip of his locks tickled her cheek.

"I…" the girl nervously started, only to pause for a second when she felt Naruto move his head closer to her neck, "I-I think you should talk to Kakashi-sensei. I-I mean, he said Yondaime-sama was his teacher, so maybe he'll be able to tell you why…why your father did what he did…"

"I wonder if Tsunade-baachan knows about it," Naruto commented all of a sudden, "She probably does. And I bet Ero-sennin knew about it too. I just…I just don't understand why they didn't tell me about all this sooner."

"W-Well, Kakashi-sensei said that the Third Hokage was waiting for you to get older before telling you about it." Hinata took a deep breath, and thought about what she was supposed to say next. "H-He just…didn't have the chance…to do it…"

"Yeah…" Naruto whispered, and this time Hinata did feel lightheaded when his warm breath tickled her neck again. A shiver run up her spine as her brain finally processed how close they really were, and for a second Hinata felt herself loosing all strength on her legs.

Had it not been for Naruto's arms around her torso, Hinata was positive she would have fallen backwards a long time ago.

"Hinata…" the boy called out after another short pause, and the heiress tried to clear her woozy mind as she listened to him, "Thank you… You always seem to be around when I need help. Before, Sakura-chan was the one who would come to see if I was okay, but she would always end up beating me on the head. This was a nice change."

Hinata felt blood rush to her cheeks at that confession, and even though Naruto had his eyes closed, she still looked away in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry I'm always bothering you." Naruto continued, his eyelids finally fluttering open, and when Hinata glanced at him she felt her breath get stuck on her throat when their eyes met. Their faces were so close now…so perilously close that Hinata vaguely noted that all it would take was a small slip from her part for their lips to meet.

"I think I'm going to take your advice, and go talk to Kakashi-sensei." Naruto announced, the corner of his lips finally curling upwards into a faint grin. "And maybe Tsunade-baachan will tell me things about my parents as well."

Unexpectedly, Naruto moved to get up, but since his arms were still wrapped around Hinata's waist his impulsive movement caused the girl to lose her balance. With a low gasp, Hinata felt her back connect with the ground, but before her brain could process what was going on, she felt weight fall on top of her right side.

"Ah! Sorry!" Naruto exclaimed, and Hinata looked to her side only to widen her eyes in horror when the tip of her nose touched Naruto's…

…And on that moment the world went still for the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan.

Their breaths were mixing together in an invisible waltz, leaving nothing but a trail of warmness behind. Cheeks were growing pinker as seconds rolled by while two pairs of orbs were chained together by imperceptible shackles. Two bodies had been pulled together so abruptly that thoughts had been forgotten, and no words could be uttered.

It was also then that it happened.

When Naruto shifted, Hinata presumed he was about to stand up, and went to rest her elbows on the ground for support. Even though she was cautious, she still moved her head at same time Naruto moved his, causing their lips to press against each other.

Hinata's mind went blank at the accidental touch while Naruto froze.

None of them moved. In fact, it seemed as if none of them _wanted_ to move, but they still kept their widened eyes locked. It was a chaste kiss, naked of any ill intention, but it was still powerful enough to stop two hearts simultaneously.

Suddenly, Naruto used his hands to push his torso backwards, consequently breaking the kiss. Blinking sharply, Hinata watched as he practically jumped to his feet before she raised a hand towards her lips.

Light-headedness was the first thing that conquered her body, and seconds later Hinata felt her vision beginning to dim. It was amazing, but even though her heart was beating at an excruciatingly speed against her rib cage she still felt her limbs growing weaker as seconds rolled by.

The last thing Hinata saw before she fainted was Naruto, giving a massive step backwards, his eyes still widened in disbelief.

Then, Hyuuga Hinata knew no more.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q:** …You know, Naruto's reaction wasn't really that unexpected…

**A:** Yeah, I know, but then again, I never said anything about doing something totally unforeseen. I simply said that "my" Naruto was going to behave a tad differently from Kishimoto's Naruto. Sorry if you were expecting more.


	29. A Piece of Our Essences

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I want to thank _**Cueil**_, _**Remuko**_, _**Hektols**_, _**winterkaguya**_, _**Quivalenm**_, _**Music 1s my s0ul**_, _**Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess**_, _**Rose Garden**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**.**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**Shale - Heart of the Pack**_, _**gabo 1602**_, _**Rose Tiger**_, _**lilusagi12**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**theduckoverthere**_, _**Torakage**_, _**animelover00094**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**Melody of Perdition**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**u**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**alwaysNaruHina**_, _**Zamoria**_, _**62635377**_, _**ShadowLight39**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**SkullsterQueenie**_, _**Z Girl Warrior**_, _**elarhy**_, _**animerules101**_, _**Ms. Mistoffelees**_, _**KarageruX16845**_ and _**GryffindorHyuuga**_ for your constant support and help. What would be of me without that?

* * *

**Chapter 28**

_A Piece of Our Essences_

It was in silence that Kakashi walked inside the room, his eyes finding a familiar figure straight away. She was lying on the bed, most of her body covered by a white sheet while her closed eyes and regular breathing indicated that she was fast asleep.

With a smile, Kakashi walked towards the side of the bed at same time he reached out for his pouch. Seconds later, he could already be seen occupying a stool, and reading one of his favourite _Icha Icha Paradise_ volumes.

He had yet to talk to Shizune to ask her about Mesi's condition, but since there was no sort of machine in the room he guessed that whatever had happened was not serious. Besides, if something grave had indeed occurred, Kakashi knew that Tsunade would let him know straight away so…

After glancing one last time at Mesi's face, Kakashi smiled to himself, and turned his attention to his now opened book. However, instead of focusing on the black words that had been printed in the once blank pages, Kakashi repeatedly found himself glancing Mesi's way. And that motion repeated itself many times until his eyes found the black string the woman wore around her neck.

Kakashi knew what sort of pendant was hanging on that string, and for a second he could not help but want to look at it. Cautiously, he raised a hand, but managed to stop himself from reaching out for the string by grasping the book with both his hands.

When he gazed at the book again, Kakashi turned a page, but after a few seconds he decided to stop reading. Silently, he closed the book, and put it inside of his pouch again before he crossed his arms against his chest. Then, he focused his attention on Mesi.

"Naruto returned from the Land of Whirlpool today, and I told him about his heritage." Kakashi announced in his usual casual tone, "He really didn't react the way we all thought he would. He sure is – and will always be – the most unpredictable ninja of all."

There was a small pause, and Kakashi took his time to cross his right leg over his left one.

"But I have the feeling he'll want to hear more, so I'll have to tell Tsunade-sama to get ready as well." the Jounin continued, "Lamentably Jiraiya is no longer with us, because he would indubitably have many things to tell Naruto as well."

Kakashi was interrupted by the opening of a door, and he looked over his shoulder only to see Shizune walking inside. After glancing his way, and offer him a smile, Shizune moved to the other side of the bed, the corner of her lips curled upwards during the whole time.

"I see no one managed to keep you away from here." Shizune joked, and Kakashi chuckled in reply. "You have no reasons to worry. It's only a little bit of dehydration. She suffered of dizziness, which caused her to feel weak. Those symptoms were most likely caused by Land of Wind's aggressive climate."

"Dehydration, you say?" Kakashi repeated as he focused his attention on Mesi, who suddenly frowned in her sleep. "I take it you already started giving her fluids?"

"Of course! She drank plenty of water when she got here, and we told her to rest for a while." Shizune answered, "Tsunade-sama wants her to spend the night here, though, just to make sure everything is all right."

"Humph…" a groan forced both Kakashi and Shizune to look at Mesi in time to see her opening her eyes, and stare at the ceiling. After glancing quickly in Kakashi's direction, Shizune walked out of the room, closing the door silently behind her.

"The sleeping beauty finally awakes." Kakashi joked as he uncrossed his legs, and rested his elbows on his knees. For a moment, Mesi just continued staring at the ceiling with a puckered brow until she finally glanced sideways at him, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Mesi answered, her voice slightly croaky, and she turned her head in his direction, her long teal coloured hair kissing her sun-kissed cheeks. "But I'd like to have some water."

"That wasn't that hard, was it?" Kakashi asked as he reached out for the jar of water that was on his side, on the bedside table, but Mesi did not reply. "After three years you still don't feel at ease asking for a hand."

"Don't bother me." Mesi retorted, but when he noticed that she was about to raise a hand to grab the glass, Kakashi decided to tease her a little bit more. Ignoring her slightly raised hand, he stood up from the stool, and rested his left hand under Mesi's head, tenderly raising it from the pillow.

"Wha—"

Taking the opportunity, Kakashi rested the glass against Mesi's parted lips, and smiled when she glared at him. He knew she hated to be seen as a weakling, but at the moment he simply did not care. It was not every day he had the chance to play around with her, so he certainly was not going to miss that chance.

"Do you want more?" Kakashi asked as he lowered Mesi's head, and the woman waved a hand in dismiss. After putting the glass on the bedside table again, Kakashi clasped his hands together after resting his elbows on his legs. "So, do you want to tell me what lead you to suffer of dehydration?"

"I believe the answer is rather obvious." Mesi replied, her voice coming out slightly stronger, and Kakashi chuckled at her tone. "But I won't be doing that mistake again."

"I sure hope not." the male Jounin answered, and once again Mesi glared at him. Slouching, Kakashi allowed for time to roll by, and get combined with silence as he continued taking in the exquisiteness of the woman before him.

If someone asked him how on earth they had ended up in that situation, Kakashi would be unable to explain. Many thought they were incompatible; he was a Konohagakure Jonin, a former ANBU Captain, and many regarded him as a genius among his peers. Mesi was a Konohagakure Jonin, who had abandoned her village when it needed her the most.

He was a carefree, laidback ninja, seen as a lone wolf with a matter-of-fact attitude. She was a lively, reserved kunoichi, seen as a wild falcon with an impulsive character.

Yes, for the rest of the world Hatake Kakashi and Kourui Mesi appeared to have absolutely nothing in common, but that was why the world was wrong.

"Before this happened," Mesi spoke all of a sudden, and Kakashi snapped from his thoughts, "I was thinking about leaving the village for a while."

_She has mentioned the possibility of leaving the village for a short period of time._

"So I've heard." Kakashi pointed out, Tsunade's voice echoing from the back of his mind, and then he rested his chin on his right hand. "Dare to explain why you thought of that, and why you never told me anything about it?"

"Like I said, I was thinking about going away before _this_ happened." Mesi repeated as she waved a hand down her torso, indicating that she was referring to her stay at the hospital. "I won't leave now. Besides, it's not like I would be allowed to go."

"Is there any particular reason to why Tsunade-sama would prevent you from leaving Konohagakure?" Kakashi inquired as he blinked, and Mesi stared at him before she looked away. The male Jonin raised an eyebrow at those antics. "Is there anything you're not telling me?"

"Yeah, I have such an amazing timing." Mesi growled under her breath, sarcasm dipping every word, and Kakashi raised his eyebrow even higher at that observation. "If I had actually paid attention to my surroundings…"

"Mesi, what are—?"

"I would still forbid you from leaving the village." a female voice interrupted Kakashi, and the two Jonin looked at the entrance of the room only to see Tsunade standing there, arms folded underneath her breasts. "You will stay at the hospital, even if that means I'll have to bind you to the bed."

"This is ridiculous." Mesi hissed while Kakashi looked away from the Hokage to gaze at her. There was definitely something going on, and he needed to find out what.

"I came here to simply check on you." Tsunade continued as she stepped inside only to stop when she reached Kakashi's side. "I already told Shizune what tests need to be done, and I'm sure she already told you that you have to stay here at least for tonight."

"Don't worry, I know." Mesi replied as she gazed at the Godaime, and nodded. After nodding in return, Tsunade gazed at Kakashi.

"Keep your eyes on her. She can be as troublesome as Naruto when she wants to." she declared, and Kakashi smirked at that. "And make sure she makes no sudden movements. I want her to stay in that bed all the time."

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi reassured her, "I'll be here until you request for my presence."

After nodding, Tsunade glanced one last time at Mesi before she walked out of the room. For a split of a second, Kakashi could not help but wonder why the Hokage had appeared there to simply visit Mesi. That was not something she usually did…at least, not without a purpose.

"I'm going to find something for you to eat." Kakashi announced, finally noticing how Mesi was now staring at the palms of her hands, which were resting close to her stomach. "Do you feel like eating anything special?"

"Strawberry daifuku," Mesi responded almost immediately, and Kakashi stopped moving at her request. When she noticed that he had pretty much frozen on the spot, Mesi turned her head in his direction. "Is there something wrong?"

"I thought you didn't like sweet red beans." Kakashi mused, and his bewilderment rose even more when Mesi looked away, a faint shade of pink on her cheeks. "Is there something going on I should be told of?"

Mesi kept her eyes away from his figure, and focused her attention on the window located on her other side.

When he understood that she was not going to tell him anything, Kakashi let out a sigh, but when he was just about to stand up, Mesi spoke up.

"I have something to tell you."

"I'm listening." Kakashi said, and the woman glanced sideways at him before she focused her attention on her hands again. That was probably the first time Kakashi was seeing such an insecure expression on Mesi's face, and for a moment he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Unconsciously, he raised a hand towards one of his vest's pockets, but stopped halfway when Mesi spoke again.

"This isn't exactly easy to me."

"And you're certainly not making it any easier for me either."

"Kakashi! Please!" Mesi sounded exasperated, and the male Jonin immediately knew he would be in trouble if he did not shut up. "Why do you always have to tease me? Here I am, trying to tell you I'm seven weeks pregnant with your child, and all you do is mock me!"

Kakashi literally fell out of the stool after those words.

* * *

"Say, Neji, is there something bothering you?" Tenten inquired as she walked beside the quiet male, her brown eyes flashing with both concern and curiosity. "You were kinda off today. Are you worried about Hinata-san?"

"I apologize for my lack of motivation during today's practice, it won't happen again." Neji automatically apologized, and Tenten blinked at his tone, "But if you must know, then yes, I am worried about Hinata-sama. The lack of contact is troubling me."

"Oh, but you know how these missions are." Tenten started in a light tone, her right hand resting on her hip as they walked. "I am sure you'll hear from them soon enough. Besides, they are probably busy trying to do…whatever Tsunade-sama told them to do."

"That is not comforting." Neji pointed out as he crossed his arms against his chest, his eyes locked with their path ahead. "Hinata-sama already has too many problems to deal with. I am simply worried about the possibility of Naruto adding more troubles. Hinata-sama is too empathetic for her own good."

"You know, you're sounding like an overprotective brother." Tenten teased with a small smile, and Neji glanced sideways at her before he frowned. "Your transformation is truly amazing."

"What is that supposed to mean?" the member of the Hyuuga Clan inquired as he continued staring at the brunette through the corner of his eyes, but Tenten simply stuck her tongue at him. "Stop with that foolish behaviour, and tell me what you meant by that."

"You know, for a genius such as yourself, you sure are slow sometimes." Tenten laughed, and once again Neji frowned at her tone. "Relax, Neji, I'm just teasing you. However, that doesn't change the fact that you have indeed transformed."

Neji refused to utter a word at that, and crossed his arms against his chest.

"While you've certainly transformed yourself in some aspects, you surely still need to do something about that intolerance of yours." Tenten continued teasing, but when Neji stared at her with his face blank of any emotions, the girl once again stuck her tongue at him. "Fine, fine, I'll explain. It's just that a few years ago you'd never think twice about Hinata-san's situation. You'd always say something like 'it's your destiny to be a failure'."

"I do not speak like that." Neji protested at Tenten's imitation of himself, and the girl let out a light laugh, "Although I will not try to defend myself. I did use to think that way when I was younger."

"Ah, that's another thing that has changed in you!" Tenten exclaimed all of a sudden, and Neji blinked at her observation. "You see, a few years ago you'd never accept that you're wrong. Now, you're probably the first one to point out your own mistakes. But that's cool. It makes you look awesomer!"

"Awesomer is not a word." Neji corrected her, but Tenten simply waved a hand in front of her face almost as if she was dismissing the correction.

"That's beyond the point. What I meant is that you became even cooler ever since you changed into who you are now." the girl quickly said, and Neji raised an eyebrow at her words. When she finally understood what she had said, Tenten felt herself go pink. "I-I mean…"

"So, I'm cooler now, eh?" Neji inquired, his eyebrow still raised, and Tenten coughed as she looked away from him. "I would expect Lee to say something like that. I always believed you'd be more…reserved."

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Tenten questioned as she turned her head to gaze at him again, awkwardness completely forgotten. Neji, however, simply smirked at her. "I am reserved! Heck, I think that was the first time I gave you a compliment! Can't a woman be honest for a change without being immediately teased?"

"I never meant to mock you." Neji stated, but since the smirk had yet to fade from his lips, Tenten knew he was still messing around with her. "But thank you. I believe it's always nice to hear a flattering remark."

"Oh, shush, if you want to thank me then go buy me something to eat because I'm starving after all that sparring." Tenten retorted as she elbowed Neji not too kindly on his side. "That's the best thanks you can give me right now."

"Why is that with you I always have to end up either training or eating?" the member of the Hyuuga Clan inquired suddenly, and once again Tenten felt herself go red at his behaviour. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, the girl crossed her arms against her chest.

"Fine, if you don't want to go, I'll go by myself." she grunted under her breath, but a chuckle caught her completely by surprise. Widening her eyes in surprise, Tenten immediately turned her head in Neji's direction, and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the way the corner of his lips had curled upwards.

He was smiling!

Stoic Hyuuga Neji was _smiling_ at _her_!

"Oh crap!" was the first thing that abandoned Tenten's lips as she continued staring wide-eyed at the boy's lips, "Did you…did you just chuckle?!"

"Why are you acting as if I was not even supposed to know how to laugh?" Neji asked, this time raising both his eyebrows, and Tenten let her arms fall to her sides in shock. Noticing that she was still too flabbergasted to speak, Neji decided to continue, "But very well, I shall take you to a sushi restaurant. What do you have to say?"

"I-I…" Tenten stammered, but when she noticed the amusing speak on Neji's pale eyes, she forced herself to snap from her trance. "Err…sushi restaurant, you say? Sure, that's fine by me."

Nodding, Neji focused his attention on the path ahead, and allowed for his arms to fall to his sides as the two of them finally abandoned the protection of the trees that had been surrounding them up until that moment. Narrowing his eyes slightly when the sunlight blinded him for a second, Neji looked around only to blink when he spotted two familiar figures at a certain distance.

Frowning, Neji stopped walking, causing Tenten to stare weirdly at him. Even from the distance the member of the Hyuuga Clan could easily make out Naruto's orange outfit. The blond was standing, his eyes locked with the figure that was lying motionless on the ground.

An extremely familiar figure…

"Hinata-sama," Neji whispered, his eyes narrowing dangerously, and Tenten immediately looked at the same direction. Blinking, she also spotted Naruto and Hinata, but before her brain could even process one single thought, Neji practically flew to their side.

"What is the meaning of this?" Neji hissed, his voice carrying fury while his eyes, which were blazing with wrath, locked with Naruto's face. Then, without thinking twice, he knelt next to heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, and checked her pulse. "What did you do to Hinata-sama?"

"Neji!" Tenten called out as she stopped on Hinata's other side, also with a puckered brow. "What happened here? Naruto, what did you do to Hinata-san?"

"I didn't do anything!" Naruto finally exclaimed in his defence, his eyes never abandoning the unconscious girl's figure. "We were talking, and then…and then I hugged her, and then—" Naruto abruptly paused, and Tenten noticed how his cheeks had gained a nice shade of pink. "And then she fainted!"

"Fainted?" Neji repeated as he tore his eyes away from Naruto to gaze at his cousin, "It will be better if she rests under a shade. Tenten, help me move her to my back. I'll carry her."

"No, this happened because of me so let me do it!" Naruto requested before Neji could even think about standing up. "If you want, I'll leave afterwards, but let me be the one to carry her. Please."

After the last word, Naruto approached the trio, and turned his back to them as soon as he reached Hinata's feet. Then, he crouched down on the ground, and Tenten glanced at Neji only to notice the look he had on his face. She knew he was thinking about not letting Naruto help them, but before she could even think of something to say she heard Neji sigh.

"Fine, just don't drop her, or I'll kill you." the member of the Hyuuga Clan threatened before he turned his head in Tenten's direction. Without waiting for him to tell her what to do, the brunette went to raise Hinata from the ground along with Neji, and in a matter of seconds the heiress was being carried towards a tree by Naruto.

Gently, Naruto set Hinata down, and watched as Tenten rested the girl's back against the tree. Silently, Neji went to his cousin's side, but while Tenten sat down next to Hinata, he simply continued standing with his arms crossed against his chest. Then, his hard ashen orbs turned to Naruto again.

"So, accordingly to your explanation, you hugged Hinata-sama." Neji commented all of a sudden, and the blond tore his eyes away from the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan to look at him, and nod. "You dare to believe that someone like you can hug Hinata-sama whenever you feel like it?"

"Oi, don't you start blaming me for my actions!" Naruto exclaimed, "I know what I did probably wasn't the best thing, but you don't know what's going on so don't you dare to judge me! Besides, it's not like Hinata has never fainted in front of me before!"

"And she's not hurt, Neji; there's no reason for you to be treating Naruto that way." Tenten reasoned, but Neji simply continued staring sternly at Naruto. "Also, he's right; Hinata-san has always fainted in front of him. Besides, if Hinata-san had not enjoyed the embrace, she could have pulled aside, right?"

"Yeah, what she said!" Naruto agreed as he waved a hand in Tenten's direction, but Neji said nothing. "Look, I can't say I'm sorry because I'm not. I'll only say that when…no, _if_ Hinata tells me that she felt uncomfortable with what I did."

"Naruto…" Neji practically snarled in a low voice, his eyes narrowing, "You are walking straight into very dangerous lands. Don't do anything foolish, or you will end up regretting all of your actions."

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Naruto growled as he closed both his hands into fists, "Are you threatening me? Because if you are, then let me tell you it will take a lot more for you to make me walk away!"

"Don't speak of things you don't understand so lightly." Neji hissed as he pressed his arms even harder against his chest, and Tenten looked strangely at him. "Take my advice, and stop messing around with Hinata-sama. She doesn't need any more stressing, and she surely doesn't need you adding even more problems."

"What the hell? I have no idea about what you're talking about!" Naruto almost shouted as he threw his arms in the air.

"Precisely, you don't know what's going on." Neji stated, "And because of that you're creating Hinata-sama even more problems. I never went against your friendship, in fact, most of the time I didn't even care, but if you keep on stressing her out, I _will_ push you out of Hinata-sama's life."

"Neji…" Tenten started, but she was forced to quiet down when Naruto interrupted her.

"You just try!" the blond exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Neji, "There is no way in hell I'm going to let you or anybody else for that matter come between me and Hinata! She's my friend, and I'll stick by her side no matter what you people say!"

With those words, Naruto glanced one last time at Hinata before he twirled around on his heels, and walked away. When he disappeared, Tenten focused her attention on Neji, and let out an inaudible sigh when she noticed that he was still staring in the direction Naruto had taken to walk away.

"You know, I'm starting to think I was out of my mind when I said you had changed." she commented, and after a few seconds Neji turned to her. "What on earth was that all about? You know very well that Hinata-san cares for Naruto. To tell him you'll push him out of her life was unnecessary."

"Tenten, you are not aware of what's going on, so do not behave as if you do." Neji instructed the girl as he finally focused his attention on her, and Tenten rolled her eyes. "I am doing this for Hinata-sama's sake."

"Yeah, I get that already." Tenten declared, sounding a little exasperated, "What I don't get it is why you refuse to tell me what's going on. I understand this is all about a huge Hyuuga secret, but darn it Neji, aren't we supposed to be friends? I can see this is beginning to affect you as well, so just tell me! You know I won't tell a soul!"

"Tenten…"

"Fine, don't tell me!" the girl interrupted him as soon as she noticed the hint of aggravation in his voice. Then, without even tearing her eyes away from Neji's face, Tenten stood up. "Keep the secret to yourself! I honestly don't know why I still care!"

After throwing her arms in the air in pure irritation, Tenten twirled around, but when she got ready to walk away, she felt five fingers wrap around her elbow. Still with anger pulsating through her veins, she looked over her shoulder, and saw the blank expression on Neji's face.

"Like you said, this is something that only concerns my Clan." Neji started, his pallid eyes locked with Tenten's dark ones, "However, I do know that if I was ever to tell you about what's going on, you'd never tell a soul."

"Does that mean you're going to explain what's going on?" Tenten asked as she calmed down, but instead of answering, Neji glanced Hinata's way. When he noticed that she was still unconscious, he turned to his team mate again.

"I am," he answered after a pause, and Tenten slowly turned around to face him, both of them ignoring the fact Neji was still holding her elbow, "But only if you promise me you will not say a word about this to anyone."

"You know I won't." Tenten declared, but when she noticed the solemn expression on Neji's face, she mentally let out a deep breath, "Fine, I promise I won't say anything to anyone."

"Very well..." Neji whispered before he motioned for the girl to sit down on the ground, next to Hinata, while he continued standing on the same spot. Then, after staying in silence for a couple of minutes, the member of the Hyuuga Branch Family crossed his arms against his chest. "What I'm about to tell you is related to an arranged marriage between two Clans."

Oblivious of what Neji was doing close to the Hokage Monument, Hyuuga Hiashi silently approached a window, and peered outside. His arms were crossed elegantly against his chest while his posture appeared to scream authority. Blankness filled every wrinkle that existed on his face, and such contrasted greatly with the debate he was having with himself.

A few seconds later, a young man from the Hyuuga Branch Family walked out the main door of the dojo, and made his way towards the gates. The five fingers of his right hand were wrapped carefully around a scroll, and when his ashen eyes landed on it Hiashi's pose stiffened.

If things occurred the way he had predicted, then everything would be completed in a couple of days. All that was required now were four signatures, and faith would be secured.

Problems could not arise now.

"Father," a voice called out all of a sudden, and Hiashi looked away from the young man that was now stepping outside the Compound to gaze to his side. Standing there, with a proper posture and an expression that roared strength was his youngest daughter. "I was told you wished to speak to me."

"Yes, I need to tell you about what is to happen in a close future." Hiashi answered, but Hyuuga Hanabi simply continued looking back at him, without even quivering under his intense gaze. "The subject matter I am about to consider with you is a topic that mustn't be discussed with anyone else. At least, not until I inform you of otherwise."

"I understand, father." Hanabi replied with a nod, but Hiashi still stared at her for a moment before he turned to his other side, and started walking. Yes, it was indeed time for his youngest daughter to be told of what was to happen in the future, and that she was an important piece in the puzzle.

And just like Hinata, Hiashi was not going to allow Hanabi to even question his decision.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q: **An accidental kiss? Really? Couldn't you come up with something different? I mean that's hardly possible to happen.

**A: **Yeah, I know, accidental kisses are not my thing either. However, the truth is that something like that almost happened to a friend of mine. When she told me I couldn't help but think: Heck, if it _almost_ happened to her, then I _can_ make it happen to Naruto and Hinata. Besides, I thought the scene was good just the way I wrote it so I didn't even bother to come up with another possible scene. I am just glad to know that most of you liked it.

**Q: **Is the pairing Sasuke x Sakura really going to happen?

**A: **Sorry, but I have to answer that question with another question. Read the story and observe all Sasuke x Sakura's scenes; what do you think?


	30. Grey Shades of Memories

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay, so it took me a while to finally post this chapter. I apologize, but work seems to be taking a lot of me. Also, since this chapter is a filler, it took me quite some time to make sure it was presentable. I hope you like it, despite of everything.

Also, thank you everyone for allowing me to reach 800 reviews. I am really happy to know that everyone's enjoying this story so far. **So thank you everyone, for everything.**

* * *

**Chapter**** 29**

_Grey Shades of Memories_

He annoyed her.

There was really no other way she could put it; he simply irked her beyond words. And the most frustrating was that he did not need to do anything to irritate her; all he had to do was stand in that nonchalant posture of his, and she would already feel anger pulsate through her veins.

Exaggerating much? No. That was indeed the rawest of all truths. He truly did not have to do anything in order to get under her skin…his laid-back attitude and blank facial expression were enough to cause that reaction.

"Kakashi, I'm telling you to spar with Mesi." a male voice spoke up all of a sudden, and a pair of mismatched orbs turned to the side. "You cannot refuse it. We came here to spar with Team Rie because they invited us. You cannot refuse."

"I won't spar with her." the boy immediately responded as he folded his arms against his chest, his facial expression never changing, and she felt a new wave of hatred flow through her veins. "She's a girl. Besides, I don't think fighting a medical-nin will be productive."

For a split of a second, she could swear she had heard something snap inside of her.

"Kakashi, Mesi's no—"

"Hey, you!" she heard herself call-out before she could stop herself, and she felt various eyes turn in her direction. Due to her angry state, she ignored every single person that was staring at her with exception of the greyish-silver haired boy in front of her. "What's your problem? So what if I'm a girl? That doesn't mean I'm weaker than you!"

"Still that does not change the fact you're still a girl." the boy stated, and the girl gritted her teeth, "Besides, like I said; you're a medical-nin. What reasons do I have to accept your challenge to spar with you?"

"Actually," the boy that was standing on her right side finally spoke up at same time he gave one step forward, his long auburn hair falling down to his shoulders, "I'm the medical-nin. I do not know what gave you the idea of Mesi being the doctor of our team, but you're incorrect. And I guess this rectification is enough for you to accept her challenge, yes?"

"Masato…" Mesi hissed as she turned her head to gaze at her team mate, who looked back at her with his light blue orbs. At her inquisitive stare, he shrugged.

"What? He was mistaken. I had to correct him. Now you can finally spar with him, and we'll all begin practice as well."

"Yeah, Masato's right!" the boy on Mesi's side exclaimed, and the girl immediately glared at her other team mate when he suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "We came here to spar not to chat. So let's just accept each others, and have some fun!"

"Don't consider training as a sort of entertainment." Mesi scolded, and the boy let out a loud laugh, his spiky brown hair pointing in every direction in a messy hairstyle. Then, she turned to Kakashi again, "So, are you going to accept my challenge or what?"

She could not lie; she had been waiting for that moment to come. After all, she – like everybody else – had heard tales about Hatake Kakashi, the so-called 'boy prodigy'. She had been dying to practice with him ever since she had found out that they had been put together in the same classroom.

Of course at the time she had been unaware of his attitude, and even though he piqued her beyond words, she was anxious to see if he was as good as people said he was.

"Well Minato-san, what do you think we should do?" Mesi heard her teacher – Chiharu Rie – ask from behind her, and she promptly gazed at the teacher of Kakashi's team. In fact, all of the students turned to him, waiting for his reply.

"Alright, this is how it's going to be." Minato started after a pause, a hand resting on his chin, "Masato will spar with Rin. Both are medical-nin, and by practicing together they will be able to mutually develop their techniques. Raiden will spar with Obito, and Kakashi will spar with Mesi. Are there any questions?"

"No, let's just go and kick some butt!" Obito practically shouted as he threw a punch in the air, and Mesi rolled her eyes. Although that was the first time their teams were practicing together, she could already tell that Raiden and Obito would do everything except sparring.

"Mesi," the girl heard her teacher call-out, and she looked over her shoulder. The first thing she saw was her teacher's waist-length black hair blowing at the wind before she gazed up, and stared at Rie's chocolate-brown orbs, "Go easy on him, alright?"

Smiling, Mesi nodded in silent agreement before she turned to Minato's team again. It was with a blink that she noticed that everybody had already left, leaving her behind…

…All by herself…

"I believe Kakashi took the chance to get away." Minato commented all of a sudden, and the girl turned to him, a confused expression still on her face. "Obito and Rin already went to the training grounds with your team mates, but I believe Kakashi left."

"He did what?!" Mesi almost screamed, and fury immediately sprouted from the depths of her heart and spread throughout her body. Clenching her hands into tight fists, the girl immediately dashed in direction of the training grounds without bothering to say a word to the teachers.

Yep, he truly, indubitably knew how to drive her mad like no one else did...

...And unfortunately for Mesi, Kakashi was nowhere to be found.

She had gone to all training grounds she could think of, she had gone to the village, and still there had been no sign of the boy. It was almost as if he had disappeared, but unfortunately for Kakashi, that vanishing act only served to infuriate her even more.

Looking up at the sky, Mesi growled to herself when she noticed that the sun had began to set during her hunt. She estimated she had about an hour before night settled, which meant she had to hurry up.

But where on earth had Kakashi gone to?

With a deep breath, Mesi stopped walking, and closed her eyes. If she was Kakashi, where would she go to? She knew he was not a big fan of crowded places, and she could recall one time during a class when she had heard Obito tell Rin that Kakashi usually went to the forest when he needed to be alone.

But the question was; which side of the forest did he usually go to?

"Ah man…" Mesi moaned as she opened her eyes, and gazed at the sky again. The forest around Konohagakure was vast not to mention dense. If she failed to locate him in the correct spot, she would probably miss the rest of the chances she had of finding him that day.

"Oh well…"

Clenching her hands into tighter fists, the girl decided to make her way towards the Hokage's Monument. There she would be able to observe the whole village, and hopefully pinpoint the spot where Kakashi could be. And when she did…

Mesi stopped her tracks as soon as that thought crossed her mind.

The Hokage's Monument…

…Of course!

Without wanting to waste any more time, Mesi spun around on her heels, and dashed at full speed in direction of the Hokage's Monument. There was a wooded area on top of the monument, close to the Memorial Stone. It was possible to see the whole village from that spot, and yet stay hidden from the world.

It was the perfect hiding place.

She had to be right!

"Kakashi…" Mesi muttered under her breath as she rushed in direction of the staircase that lead to the top of the Hokage's Monument, but when she was just about to reach the peak of the mountain, she slowed down until she was simply walking.

Taking a deep breath, Mesi finally gave the last step up the staircase, and stopped when she reached the top of the stairs. With attentive eyes, she started glancing around, her orbs resting on the Memorial Stone for a second. Then, she took a deep breath.

"I know you're here, Hatake!" she shouted as she continued looking around, "So, why don't you reveal yourself? Are you that scared about fighting a girl?"

When there was no answer, Mesi mentally took a deep breath.

"I'm disappointed. I expected more of the so-called 'boy genius'!"

When once more no one answered her, Mesi decided to close her eyes, and take another deep breath. With small movements she reached out for her pouch, and took a kunai from inside. It was on that moment that the wind blew, and Mesi took the opportunity to listen to it.

The grass around her was dancing…the green leaves singing…

There!

"Found you!" Mesi shouted as she spun to her right, and threw the kunai in direction of one of the tallest trees. A smirk appeared on her lips when the sound of metal kissing metal echoed throughout the place, but before she could say victory, Mesi tensed up.

"What…?"

That was all that left her lips for a silhouette suddenly appeared behind her, and pressed a kunai against her neck. Carefully not to touch the sharp metal, Mesi glanced over her shoulder, and rolled her eyes when her orbs met a pair of black ones.

"Do not feel victorious until you have the enemy lying down on your feet." Kakashi advised as he continued pressing the kunai against her neck, a blank expression on his face. "And do not think you beat me just because you managed to pinpoint my position."

Gradually Kakashi lowered his weapon, and Mesi took the chance to turn around so that she was now facing him. Curious, she had never noticed before they were the same height…

"Why did you run off?" Mesi questioned, but instead of replying, Kakashi simply put his kunai back inside his pouch. "Even if I was a medical-nin, I'm still a shinobi like you. So why can't you treat me as an equal?"

"You are a girl." Kakashi pointed out, and Mesi had to fight the urge of rolling her eyes, "And besides, you still have to improve a lot."

Before Mesi could even think of something to say, Kakashi turn around on his heels, and disappeared in a cloud of smoke after performing some hand seals. When her brain finally realized that Kakashi had, once again, run away from her, Mesi gritted her teeth in fury at same time she clenched her hands into rigid fists.

Oh, how she hated him!

* * *

Two years had passed ever since the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's attack on Konohagakure. Two years had passed ever since the Hidden Village among Tree Leaves was forced to watch their Hokage surrender to the supremacy of his jutsu while his wife succumbed to the will of death…

…Two years had passed ever since the existence of Uzumaki Naruto was known as a blessing and as a curse…

With a snarl, a young woman closed a door behind her a little too strongly, but she ignored the loud slam as she continued cursing under her breath. That was the third time they had given her a flat 'no', and to be frank she was getting tired of it. And to think they had called her 'little girl'! Again! Just because she was sixteen that did not mean that she was incapable of looking after a child!

All she wanted to do was to open the damn door again, and tell them to go to hell and never return! Honestly, she was truly getting tired of Konoha's Council; after all the elders were the reason why she would always get tremendously infuriated…them and the Third Hokage himself, who always had the last word in all of the assemblies. He was the one who kept stopping her from doing what she wanted to do.

"Angry at the world again, I see." a voice observed all of a sudden, and the girl snapped from her thoughts at the familiar voice. With a blink, she raised her eyes, and quickly found the person that had talked to her, a trail of smoke following his built form. "I take it you were dismissed…again..."

"I just can't understand why they don't let me take care of him!" she practically cried out as she threw her arms in the air in pure frustration, "I know I'm young, but I'm more than capable of looking after a child. He deserves to have a family, damn it!"

"Well, he's a very special kid." the eighteen year-old boy responded as he took his cigarette from his lips, and blew a cloud of smoke towards the ceiling, and she rolled her eyes at his observation, "I'm sure my dad has his reasons."

"This was my last shot, and despite of all efforts, I still managed to blew it," she said, her voice lowering as she spoke, "All I wanted was to take care of him, and make sure he grew up knowing that he's not despised by everyone. I honestly don't understand your father's way of thinking."

"Well, you know how my dad can be, so don't keep blaming yourself like that." the boy advised, his cigarette back to his lips, and she let out a defeated sigh. "I'm sure whatever the old man is thinking about will be the best for the kid."

"You make the greatest sacrifices for the ones you love..." the girl whispered, causing the other shinobi to blink at her words, "But I guess you're right; your father _is_ the Third Hokage after all. If someone knows what he's doing that would be him. I just don't have to like his decisions all the time."

A smirk appeared on the boy's face at the statement before he nodded in silent agreement. After smiling slightly at him the girl decided to bid farewell, and resume to her stroll, but when she was just about to turn around on a corner, her friend called out for her.

"I heard he tried to adopt the kid as well," the boy commented, causing her to blink. "My dad didn't accept his offer either, in case you're wondering. Have you ever thought about talking to him about it? He just returned from another mission, and who knows? If you work together, you may end up finding a solution."

"Yeah, I guess…" she trailed off before raising a hand in a quiet wave, "Thanks again, Asuma. And let me remind you that you really should quit smoking."

"Yeah, yeah, don't you start to lecture me again," the boy laughed before waving in goodbye as well, and the two friends went their separate ways.

After abandoning the building the girl raised her eyes, and stared at the clear sky. That was a stunning vernal nightfall; children could still be heard at the distance, probably playing in the playgrounds while adults could be seen wandering through the streets of Konohagakure, taking care of their chores.

It was remarkable how that village had managed to raise from the ashes, and look even more magnificent than before. The renewal had been steady and extremely distressing, but now everyone could say that it had been worth it…

…But she guessed that in spite of everything, she was going to miss that place…

Not knowing what else to do, she continued walking through the still crowded streets of Konohagakure, taking in all the changes that had occurred in the past two years. There had been positive and negative alterations, and even though it was overwhelming to hear laughter echoing from everywhere again, it was rather upsetting to see how people were gradually becoming more apprehensive and despicable

And the worst of it all was that all of their revulsion was focused on one defenceless and innocent infant.

Reflexively, the girl crossed her arms against her chest, and before she knew it she was thinking about the person Sarutobi Asuma had mentioned. To be honest, she had never expected for him to actually come forth, and admit that he also wanted to adopt Naruto. She guessed she had underestimated him on that aspect, but she certainly was not going to do it again.

However, she understood why the Hokage had refused to let him take care of Naruto. He was, after all, going through an extremely aggressive and perilous training in order to become an ANBU, which clearly indicated that he had no time to take care of a child.

When the sound of grass crunching under her feet reached her ears, the girl snapped out of her reverie only to blink when she noticed where she now stood. She had made her way towards the top of the mountain where the Memorial Stone stood without thinking. Perhaps her mind knew that she would never be able to leave the village without saying goodbye to her family and friends…

With a small, melancholic smile now on her face, the girl approached the Memorial Stone, and rested the tip of her fingers against its cold and hard surface. She knew where the names of her team mates, sensei and family were, and her eyes promptly found them, lingering on each name long enough for her to evoke that person's face.

She guessed it was finally time to let her ghosts rest, and start living her life again…

Suddenly, she felt something move from behind her, and she looked over her shoulder only to see the boy that continuously haunted her thoughts standing not too far from her. He had his back to her while his arms were resting on the railing as he observed the twinkling stars and the First Quarter.

He was clearly lost in his own thoughts.

A rather cold breeze blew from north, but she ignored the goosebumps that quickly conquered all of her exposed skin. For a long period of time, she just stood on the same spot, staring at him as he continued star-gazing. Although she would never declare it out-loud, she had to admit he had grown up to become a very interesting specimen.

Physically, he had grown into a handsome man with his spiky, greyish-silver hair and penetrating black orb. In fact, she had heard from other fellow female shinobi that he looked way too sexy also due to the mask he wore to hide half of his face along with his left eye. And even though they were friends, she had to admit that all of those girls were right.

He was too attractive for his own good, and even his personality was the envy of some male shinobi.

With a deep breath, she dropped her arms to her sides, and noiselessly made her way towards him. She knew that he had already sensed her; what kind of ANBU would he be if he had not? But still she only spoke up when she was practically standing next to him.

"If it wasn't for Asuma, I wouldn't have known you were back."

"My apologies. I simply couldn't stop myself from coming here as soon as I arrived." he explained without looking away from the dark heavens, but she simply smiled faintly at his antics. After his best friend's death he had had adopted many of his friend's traits and philosophies, in particular the notion of teamwork and fellowship.

"Not reading your precious book, I see." she pointed out before she could stop herself, but he simply chuckled in reply, and she glanced at the stars as well. "Are you finally loosing the habit of reading such disgusting things? That can hardly be called literature."

"That's why I read it, and you don't," he retorted, but when she looked at him ready to answer, her voice died on her throat when she noticed that he was now gazing at her. Before she knew it, warmth rushed up to her cheeks, and she quickly looked away. She would be damned if he found out about the turmoil that was going on inside of her now.

Ever since she had found out that other girl liked him, she had decided to treat him as a friend. But now, even with that same girl gone, she could not help but think the same way. Even though they had a few things in common, they were still too different, and that was what she persistently kept telling herself.

Besides, her feelings were doomed to fade away anyway, especially after her departure.

"I heard the Third Hokage is going to keep an eye on Naruto," she decided to declare, and when she felt him nod, she turned her head to him again, "And I'm sure you're going to do the same, no?"

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who's going to do that," he stated as he focused his attention on the stars once again, and she allowed for the corners of her lips to curl upwards into a knowing smile. Then, when she noticed that he was still star-gazing, she turned fully to him, and licked her lips in anticipation.

"I think I'm going now. Tonight's rather cold, so make sure you don't get sick, okay?"

When he said nothing, she inhaled, and wasted those last, few seconds admiring him. She hoped that one day they would be able to meet again. Perhaps, after she had found herself again…

"Goodbye…Kakashi."

With those last words, she turned her back to him, and started walking forward until she passed the Memorial Stone. Not once did she look over her shoulder, and not once did he look behind him to watch her go.

And somewhere in Konohagakure, lying on a wooden crib, a blond haired toddler started weeping to the night.

* * *

She could feel her heart hammering against her chest while her eyes darted everywhere in a desperate quest to locate what she was looking for. Anxiety had taken over her limbs a long time ago while panic was gradually conquering her mind.

During her rush to go to that place she had mentally prepared herself to face a destroyed village, but she did not expect to find was what she was now observing. In front of her was the devastated shadow of what used to be the most reliable and respected village of all…in front of her was the spitting image of a past event she had never wanted to see repeating itself again…

…A past event that had dig its way inside many people's minds and souls never to get out again…

The fatalities had almost repeated themselves again as well; respectful ninja were lost, faithful shinobi had lost their lives in desperate attempts to keep their loved ones safe… Things had been so grim that they had been at the edge of losing their Fifth Hokage as well…

A pair of mismatched orbs continued darting around, frenetically, frantically…

...Where was he? Where was he?

She had been told about the number of wounded, but she had barely paid attention to that report; all she could remember was that unfortunately most of them were in critical condition. And according to the ninja that had spoken to her, among those who were at the edge of slipping away from the world of the living could very well be the man she was searching for.

Clenching her hands into tight fists, the woman continued running through the debris. Her mind was in a total pandemonium due to her insistent need to believe that he was still alive and well. He had to be. She had not returned to the village only to see her loved ones being ripped away from her again.

No, she refused to accept that…

…And that was exactly why her heart was now beating so rapidly against her rib cage.

He had to be alive!

"Help! Mommy!"

She spun around on her heels at the boyish voice, and she felt her breath get stuck on her throat when she spotted a little boy standing close to a disintegrating home. For a second, one small side of her tempted her to just walk away. If she accepted to help the boy then she would miss half of the already thin opportunity of finding him alive.

"Get away from that house!" she ordered as she rushed to the little boy's side only to pull the crying boy to her when she reached him. "What happened?"

"My mommy…" the little boy sobbed, and she looked behind her only to notice that most shinobi were already busy taking care of other wounded. After a silent deep breath, she turned the boy to her. "She's inside…"

"Listen, you see that man over there?" she asked, pointing at a brown haired male ninja, who was currently checking an old man's head injury, "His name is Shiranui Genma. Go call him, and tell him to come here immediately. Tell him your mother's inside the house."

"But—"

"I'll go inside." the woman interrupted the boy since she already knew what he was going to say, and after debating with herself about what she should do, she decided to rest a hand on top of his head. "Just make sure you stay safe."

Without wanting to waste anymore time, the woman smiled faintly at the boy before she turned to the house, and walked inside. It took only a couple of seconds for her to perceive that one step in false would be enough to bring the whole residence down.

Damn it.

"Madam?" she called out as she carefully walked around the first floor of the house. When no one answered her, she decided to go upstairs. The wood of the staircase started cracking under her weight, but she decided to ignore the sound as she continued walking in direction of the other floor.

"Madam?" she called again as soon as she reached the top of the stairs, but a groan escaped from her lips when the floor caved in when she settled her right foot down. Splinters immediately penetrated her skin, but she ignored the flowing blood by focusing her attention on her task at hand.

Gritting her teeth, she raised her foot from the hole she had just created, but before she could move, she heard someone call her name from downstairs.

"I'm up here!" she exclaimed, and in a matter of seconds Genma appeared at the bottom of the stairs, a senbon needle in his mouth. "C'mon, we have to find the boy's mother before this place falls down."

"Wait," Genma ordered right when she was about to start walking, and she stared weirdly at him, "This probably won't tolerate our weight. I'll go get her. You need to go. I was just informed they found him."

"What?" she breathed out before she could stop herself, and for a second all she could hear was the sound of her nervous heart, "Is he…?"

"He's in very bad shape from what I heard." Genma answered her, "I believe their hopes aren't that high."

"What's…?" she stopped herself when she recalled where they were, "Okay, I'm going. Make sure you find the woman, and take her back to her son."

"Sakura's with him!" was all Genma had time to say for she was already going down the stairs. As soon as she walked out of the door, she spotted the little boy, and smiled faintly at him.

"Genma will save your mother, don't worry. She's in good hands." she quickly added before she tapped the boy on top of his head, and without giving him time to say something in return, she bit her thumb.

Quickly, she did some hand seals before slamming the palm of her right hand against the ground. A cloud of smoke quickly engulfed her, but the dust was pushed aside when a falcon emerged from the ground only to fly towards the sky.

"Asa, take me to him!" she ordered as she stared at the falcon, mentally cursing herself for not thinking about using the summoning technique before.

It only took her less than four minutes to finally spot a small group of people gathered in the middle of the village. The woman felt her breath get stuck on her throat when she noticed that one of the people had short pink hair.

That was it…

…She had found him.

"You better be alive," she mumbled under her breath as she continued running in direction of the group only to come to a halt seconds later. Most members of the group were desperately trying to raise large and heavy rocks, and as she got closer she understood why.

There he was, half buried underneath tones of rocks and wreckage, resembling to a lifeless soul.

That image would forever be printed in her mind and heart.

"Kakashi…"

Why?

Why had she not forced herself to move faster? To fight faster? To run faster? If she had, then she would have made it in time…she would have made it in time to aid him in battle…

So…why?

"Mesi-san!"

The woman tore her eyes away from Kakashi's motionless form, and looked at Sakura, who had just called out for her. She felt her heart sank on the same second their eyes met; the expression on the girl's face was all she needed to know that hope was slipping away from their fingers like water.

"Mesi-san, will you help us taking him to the hospital?" Sakura asked, and the woman glanced down at Kakashi, but still held back an answer.

Things were not supposed to end that way…

"Mesi-san!" Sakura called out again, but it was the despair in her voice that forced the older woman to snap from her daze and nod.

She was not going to let him die…

"Yes, let's take him."

…She could not let him die…

Five hours later, Kourui Mesi was leaning against a wall, arms folded against her chest while her head was down. Long streaks were concealing her expression, making it impossible for people to even notice her eyes.

The stillness of that hallway was anomalous and itchy. The quietude created a massive contrast with the rest of the hospital, where people were rushing around, frantically trying to save those who were struggling to stay alive.

On that hallway, where no one else aside from her stood, only silence seemed to be in haste to know what was going on behind the two doors that were on her right. But just like silence had no physical form to express its concern, she had also locked away in the depths of her soul all fretfulness that should be running through her veins.

"Mesi."

She recognized the voice immediately, and gradually raised her mismatched orbs to gaze to her left. Although she looked shattered, the person before her still managed to keep her aura of authority and influence.

It was good to see that she was safe and sound.

"Hokage-sama," Mesi greeted with a faint nod, but she still did not change her position, "Shouldn't you be resting right now?"

"He's in critical condition." Tsunade announced, behaving as if she had not heard the question, but Mesi did not break the eye-contact, "I studied the reports the medical-nin sent me before Sakura rushed him to the operating-room. Mesi…"

"He's not going to die." the other woman interrupted her, a hint of confidence in her voice, "He knows better than to die on me."

"Even if he's survives, his injuries will take a long time to heal." Tsunade started, "I told you; his condition is critical. He was buried under wreckage, and his body is extremely frail. Sakura took a very high risk when she decided to take him directly to the operation room."

Instead of saying anything, Mesi turned her head to her other side so that she was now staring at the closed doors of the operating-room. A sense of sadness and loneliness sparkled in the depths of her eyes, but she pushed those feelings away by focusing her attention on the Godaime again.

"Obito died crushed by rocks…" she started, her voice coming out oddly quiet; her eyes locked with Tsunade's, "Hatake knows that Obito would never forgive him if he died the same way as him."

"Mesi…"

"I don't care what you say; Hatake knows better than to leave me like this." the younger woman continued as she shook her head lightly, "He's knows I'd never forgive him for that, and that I would hunt him down after I died only to kill him again."

"Very well," Tsunade answered after a couple of minutes in silence, "I'm going inside. If anything happens, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, why don't you go rest? This will take a while."

"No, I'm going to stay here." Mesi immediately responded with a shake of her head, "I'm not going anywhere."

Tsunade simply nodded in silent agreement before she made her way towards the operating-room. It was only when the doors closed behind the Fifth Hokage that Mesi let out a long breath she had not noticed she had been holding.

Blinking, the woman stared at the ceiling, and let out a small snort when she noticed her vision was blurring. So that was it, eh? She was going to breakdown in the middle of a hospital corridor while the person that meant the most to her was fighting for his life…

…How pathetic.

"Kakashi…" Mesi whispered as she closed her eyes, and pressed the back of her head against the wall.

After another three hours of waiting, Mesi found herself staring at another closed door. Her hands twitched in expectation as time continued to roll by. One side of her wanted nothing more but to break that door down, and storm inside while the other side of her was taunting her…saying that since she had failed him she had no right to see him…

"Mesi-san?"

The woman looked over her shoulder at her name, and saw Sakura standing a few feet away from her. Quietly, Mesi turned to her side, and stared at the girl directly in the eye.

"Kakashi-sensei is still in critical condition, but we're doing everything we can to stabilize his situation." Sakura started to explain only to hesitate seconds later, "That means his signal vitals are unstable and not within normal limits."

"I know what critical condition means, Sakura." Mesi immediately retorted, and the girl looked down. "What about his injuries?"

"If I'm allowed to be honest," Sakura started tentatively, "I admit that I'm amazed by Kakashi-sensei's willpower. Most people would have not survived those injuries, especially the bone fractures. However, since this is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about, I like to think that if he made it this far, he'll end waking up when we least expect it."

"He knows better than to give up." Mesi heard herself say, and then she nodded. "I will not be inside for long."

Without giving Sakura time to even part her lips, the Jounin pushed the door of the hospital room aside, and walked through it. Then, without turning around, Mesi closed the door behind her, and took a deep breath before she glanced at the only bed that existed inside the room

Her heart immediately sunk.

He had never looked so broken…so motionless…so lifeless…

The white sheet appeared to melt into his skin as it went up to his nose, keeping half of his face hidden from the world. She knew there was an oxygen mask aiding him to breathe while a patch had been applied to protect the left side of his forehead.

Even from afar she could see that both his legs had been wrapped in cast while his right arm, which was resting above the sheet, had been completely wrapped in bandages.

The sound of his heartbeat, which was being transmitted by a machine, was all Mesi could hear for a moment.

Quietly, the woman made her way towards the side of the bed, and scanned Kakashi's physical condition with a frown on her face until her eyes fell on his relaxed face. His ragged breathing almost appeared to be dancing with the constant beep that represented his heartbeat.

"Kakashi…" Mesi whispered as she raised a hand, and moved it in direction of his greyish-silver locks. When the tip of her fingers touched his surprisingly still spiky tresses, Mesi yanked her hand backwards almost as if he had burned her.

Crossing her arms against her chest, Mesi stood next to the bed for the longest time, staring at nothing else other than Kakashi's face.

Why? Why had it taken her so long to reach his side? Why had she been so powerless?

…So useless?

"Damn it…" Mesi hissed to herself when she felt tears tickling the side of her eyes, and she immediately looked away in an attempt to conceal her pathetic condition. Blinking, the woman struggled to push her tears back at same time she tried to control the way her body had began to shake.

She was not going to break down in front of him… She was not going to collapse while she was in the same room as him…

She was not…

Mesi felt something warm run down her right cheek, and she immediately raised a hand towards it. Running her finger though her skin, Mesi looked down, and let out a bitter laugh when she saw how moistened the tip of her finger was.

As she kept staring at her finger, Mesi allowed for more tears to roll down her cheeks until she finally raised both her hands to her face. Desperately, though still without making a sound, Mesi started wiping the tears away only to let out another bitter laugh when she noticed that despite of all her attempts to stop crying, tears just did not seem to stop.

"See what you're doing to me?" Mesi asked as she stared at Kakashi's face, but his heartbeat was all that answered her, "Only you seem to have the ability of putting me in such a situation. You're an idiot, Hatake."

Gradually, the woman dropped her hands, the wish to hide her tears away slowly vanishing from inside of her. Kakashi was asleep was he not? Then, he would never know she had actually end up crying because of him…_for_ him…

"Hatake," Mesi started only to pause in order to take in a quivering deep breath, and then she shifted even closer to the bed. Carefully not to touch him, she bent forward so that the tip of her nose was inches away from the top of the oxygen mask, which could barely be seen from underneath the sheet. "I forbid you from dying. Don't you dare to die on me or I'll be forced to hunt you down after I die."

As she felt the corner of her lips curling upwards into a tiny smirk, Mesi glanced to the other side of the bed where she spotted an armchair. After glancing one last time at Kakashi, the woman straightened up, and made her way towards the seat.

"Sorry Sakura, but I think I'll be staying here for a while…" Mesi muttered under her breath as she sat down, and crossed both her arms and legs. It was only then that the female Jounin glanced at Kakashi one more before she decided to close her eyes, and finally allow for her sore muscles to relax.

* * *

With a quiet sigh, Mesi stared through the window at the darkening heavens. Five weeks had passed ever since Pain had been defeated by Naruto. Ever since then, every single villager from Konohagakure had sworn to help in the reconstruction of the Hidden Village among Leaves.

All shinobi had decided to help out as well, and surprisingly, half of the village was already becoming a reflection of what had once existed in the past.

But while Konohagakure was gradually yet surely emerging from its ashes, there were other things that had yet to begin to change.

Silently, Mesi turned to her side, arms crossed against her chest, and she stared at the bed behind her. He had finally come out of the coma, and his condition was no longer severely critical. Tsunade had made sure to follow his condition from the beginning, and she was actually the one who would come to the room, and tell Mesi all about Kakashi's progress.

According to Tsunade, Kakashi had finally reached the normal level of consciousness. And, also according to the Godaime, even though there was still a long path ahead until Kakashi was allowed to start with his physical therapy he was finally going to be authorized to do simple exercises, always under someone's supervision.

As the look on her face grew softer, Mesi made her way towards Kakashi. Tsunade had also told her that it would most likely take Kakashi more than half a year for his broken legs to fully heal.

She wondered how Kakashi would take the news…

"Fa-Father…"

Mesi snapped from her thoughts at the mumbled word, and stared at Kakashi's face. He had stopped wearing the oxygen mask a while ago, but half of his face continued hidden by the white sheet. His skin was no longer dead pale, and occasionally his cheeks would gain a faded shade of pink.

Without thinking about her actions, Mesi raised an arm, and rested her hand on top of Kakashi's left one. Involuntarily, she entwined her fingers with his before she glanced at his face.

"Everything's alright…" she murmured, "Just rest…"

It was not rare to hear Kakashi either call out for his father or even Naruto. When she had heard him call out for the Yondaime's son, Mesi had calmly informed him that Naruto was safe, but whenever Kakashi called for his father, she did not know what to do.

Even though she – like many others – knew what had happened to Hatake Sakumo, Mesi simply did not know what to tell Kakashi in order to calm him down.

"M…Mesi…"

The woman widened her eyes when she heard her name escape from Kakashi's covered lips. Had she heard him right? He…he had called for her?

"Mesi…"

He was frowning in his sleep, his eyebrows puckered as he struggled to raise his head from the pillow. Without knowing what else to do, Mesi rested her free hand on top of his head, her fingers running through his locks in tender gestures.

"I'm here," she whispered as she bent down so that her lips were inches away from his ear, "Calm down, I'm here."

He was agitated. No, that was not correct. He was fidgety and clearly anxious about something. Something that was troubling him deeply and the worst was that Mesi did not know what she could do to calm him down.

"C'mon Hatake, relax…" Mesi spoke in a soft yet strong tone, her lips still inches away from his ear. "I'm here. Everything's alright…"

It took a couple of minutes until Kakashi finally started relaxing. Closing her eyes, Mesi took a deep breath, involuntarily taking in the male's natural scent. Letting out a faint groan, Mesi opened her eyes at same time she raised her head, and an inaudible gasp abandoned her lips when her mismatched orbs met another pair of unequal eyes.

"Kakashi!" she gasped as she straightened up, her eyes never leaving the man's.

She knew he had woken up many times before, but Mesi had always made sure to stay away from the room during those moments. She had never, ever, felt at easy with the idea of being in the same room with an awoken Kakashi, and she was sure beginning to feel uncomfortable under his blank stare.

The fact she was aware it was partially her fault why Kakashi was in that bed still weighted on her shoulders.

"Mesi…" Kakashi said in a husky voice, and for some unknown reason the female Jounin felt a shiver run up her spine. Anxiety was beginning to wrap her heart into a deadly hug, but regardless of her internal condition, Mesi managed to keep a calm expression.

The way he was staring at her, Mesi quickly noticed, was one of a kind. It was almost as if he was taking in every inch of her, and yet he had not broken the eye-contact. It was almost…it was almost as if he was breathing in her whole essence…

"Marry me."

Mesi blinked and time stopped.

Had she heard it right?

"What did you just say?" Mesi questioned as she looked strangely at him, but all Kakashi did was to stare back at her, a blank expression on his face.

"Marry me."

Another shiver ran up Mesi's spine at those two words. His face was blank of any expression, and yet his voice was carrying an emotion she had never felt or heard before.

He was being so genuine that his feelings were being reflected in his proclamation.

"Hatake…" Mesi trailed off as she felt a lump on her throat, and she took a deep breath, "You're making absolutely no sense. You should just lie down, and rest before I'm forced to go call Tsunade-sama."

"Mesi…" Kakashi started in the same hoarse voice; his eyes still locked with Mesi's, "Marry me."

"Just lie down." Mesi commanded, nervousness now swirling around her mind. He was clearly tired, which explained why he was making no sense. "And you better not play that joke on anyone else. There are girls out there that are just dying to hear you asking them what you just asked me, and then you'll never see the end of it."

"I'm not joking." Kakashi declared, and the female Jounin felt her breath get stuck on her throat. Regardless of his weak condition, he looked indomitable…as if nothing or no one would be strong enough to shut him up, "Marry me."

He was being serious, and Mesi knew it.

And that was why she had to stop it.

"Did you know," the woman started, "that you're in that bed because of me?"

Kakashi simply continued staring at her.

"Had I been faster…had I tried harder…I could have tried to help you fighting Pain's puppet, and yet…" Mesi paused for a second, "And yet I was too late. When I found you…heavens, when I found you underneath all those debris…I knew I was too late…"

"Yet you tried." Kakashi pointed out, his voice now coming out stronger than before, and Mesi stared at him in the eyes again, "And I don't care about that. I don't want to have any more regrets. Marry me."

"Hatake…"

"Pain showed me how stupid I was, for keeping everything locked inside of me." Kakashi continued, ignoring the way Mesi had breathed out his name, "I don't want any more regrets. I want to marry you."

"Are you actually listening to yourself?" Mesi finally decided to ask as she closed her hands into tight fists, "You're still sick, and you're not thinking clearly! You and I will never work! We're too different! Stop asking me that!"

"We are different," Kakashi agreed with a faint nod, and Mesi felt her heart skip a beat, "but that's exactly why we're going to work. We've been together ever since the beginning. You were the one who was there for me when Rin died, you…you were the one who tried to adopt Naruto…you came for me when Pain attacked Konoha…"

There was a pause, and when Mesi was just about to part her lips to speak, Kakashi proceeded.

"And you are here, right now. Just like you've been here for the past weeks..."

"Hatake…"

"So, marry me." Kakashi continued, and Mesi felt another lump form in her throat, "We'll make this work. I…When you left the village, I know you were waiting for me to stop you. I didn't, and I regretted my actions. I still regret not doing anything at the time to stop you. I…I don't want you to walk away ever again."

"So, you're asking me to marry you just because you don't want to be alone?" Mesi asked as she crossed her arms against her chest, almost as if to shield herself from that topic. "You're using loneliness against m—"

"I love you."

Once again, Mesi widened her eyes in shock and surprise.

Oh…dear…lord!

"Hatake…"

"And that's exactly why I want to marry you." Kakashi carried on, "When I said I wanted to have no more regrets, I meant it. I want to be with you…I want us to be together, and I know you want it too."

Mesi repeatedly parted her lips, but no noise escaped from them. But the worst was not her inability to speak…the worst was that she knew he was right.

When she had left the village at the age of sixteen, she had wanted him to turn around, and stop her. She had said goodbye to him because she had been expecting to hear him say 'stay'. But when he said nothing, she knew she would have to deal with it.

She had never forgotten how lonely she had felt back then, but it was also true that she could not forget the day when they had finally met again at Land of Water. Of course at the time she had felt irritated by the fact that Kakashi had not went there to look for her willingly but because Tsunade had ordered him to go, but deep down she had felt happy…

…And she had also felt her heart skip a beat when their eyes had met.

"Hatake, I…"

Flashes of Kakashi being buried under the debris flashed from the back of her mind, and Mesi stopped talking. They had lost too much time, had they not? They had spent years apart, and when they had finally gotten together, Kakashi had almost been ripped away from her.

And besides, he was right, was he not? The world did tend to believe they would never work because they were too different – heck, she had also thought that way in the past – so why should they not prove them wrong?

After all, if they loved each other, they could make their relationship work…right?

"I won't ask this again," Kakashi spoke all of a sudden, and Mesi snapped from her thoughts by raising her head, and stare at him directly in the eye, "Will you marry me?"

If they tried hard, they could make their relationship work, right? After all, they were Hatake Kakashi and Kourui Mesi.

When she noticed that Kakashi was still staring at her, waiting for a reply, Mesi dropped her arms to her sides, her hands now closed into fists.

Yes, they were Hatake Kakashi and Kourui Mesi, and together, they would be insuperable.

As she kept their eyes locked, Mesi allowed for the corners of her lips to curl upwards into a smile, a sparkle of determination and contentment emerging from the depths of her mismatched orbs.

And then, one word escaped from her lips.

"Yes."

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

Okay, so this was my Kakashi x Mesi filler. I hope you guys enjoyed it, but if despite these seventeen pages (seventeen! Not even my one-shots are this big!) you still have some doubts, please, let me know.

See you later!


	31. The Concealed Beginning

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

**I want to thank **_**theduckoverthere**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**Gabo 1602**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**62635377**_, _**Lord Kain**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**Rose Tiger**_,_**Anti NaruxSaku**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**Hektols**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**chibi-prince**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _**Remuko**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**Missmybcmiyuki**_, _**Cueil**_, _**Torakage**_ and _**KarageruX16845**_ for everything. I am _so_ happy to hear that everyone enjoyed Kakashi x Mesi's chapter. I know that some things are still kind of shadowed, but trust me; everything will be (eventually) answered.

* * *

**_Note:_**_If you have yet to read Naruto's manga chapter 449 _**_do not read _**_my following comments._

Okay, so apparently my one-shot Confessions of the Heart does not have to be corrected because Kishimoto decided to revive everyone! Kakashi, you're back!!! Although I did not really enjoyed the way everything happened (and the way it ended), I am glad to see everybody's back. And I am willing to bet that Jiraiya will show up too!

* * *

**Chapter 30**

_The Concealed Beginning_

Something was not right. Words had begun to tickle her brain awhile ago, but she had been so lost in the feeling of nothingness that she had actually tried her hardest to ignore the itching sensation. However, the harder she tried to drown in the feeling of nonexistence, the louder the words seemed to resonate.

At first, the words had been nothing more then simple mumbles, stifled by the stillness of her core. But as time rolled by the words had started gaining more strength, and regrettably it did not take long until her brain finally started processing what was going on.

"…you support that! How could you? I cannot believe you!"

That voice…it was female, strong and resolute. Her brain had picked up the sense of irritation and surprise in the uttered words. The voice was familiar too…

"She should be allowed to make her own decisions!"

That way of speaking...the tone of voice...

Her eyebrow twitched in recognition.

...Tenten.

"Do not speak so lightly about this manner."

That male voice…she did not need more than a split of a second to recognize it.

"Are you kidding me? You just said you're forcing her to get married! To Uchiha Sasuke no less!" Tenten exclaimed, anger still clear in her voice, and Hinata felt her eyebrow twitch again. "How can you agree with it?"

"I never said I agree it." Neji quickly interjected, "I simply explained the current situation to you. In case you have forgotten, I am not a member of the Main Hyuuga Family, and therefore I cannot speak my thoughts. I am not to blame for what's going on."

"You could at least try to help her!" Tenten declared, and Hinata frowned as the two voices continued to get louder and louder until they were virtually hammering against her brain. "Instead you tell the only person who actually has the guts to help her that you'll push him out of her life if he does something stupid!"

Who would push who out of whose life?

"I was simply stating the truth." Neji said, "And trust me, he will be thankful if I'm the one who pushes him out of her life. You wouldn't like it if Hiashi-sama was obliged to step forward. Naruto should be thankful."

Hinata parted her lips slightly, and let out an inaudible gasp.

Neji was the one who would push Naruto out of her life?

It could not be!

With a groan, Hinata forced herself to abandon the wings nonexistence had offered her. Wordlessly, she commanded her eyelids to flutter open, and for a second the young woman found herself staring at her legs.

What had happened…?

"You're so darn irritating when you're like this!"

Hinata gradually raised her orbs, close followed by her head at those words, and blinked in lassitude when she stared directly at Tenten and Neji. The two of them were standing right in front of her, too focused in each other to even sense her eyes on them.

"Why aren't you looking for a way to break the stupid contract up or something?"

Hinata blinked, her face still blank of any emotion. Contract? Could Tenten be referring to the contract she was going to end up signing along with Sasuke?

"Do not be foolish, Tenten, I cannot do anything of that sort." Neji pointed out as he crossed his arms against his chest, "I am not happy with this arrangement. I never agree with it, but as a member of the Branch Family I have to accept Hiashi-sama's orders."

"Bah! Your Clan's rules make no sense to me!" Tenten exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air, and Hinata took in a deep breath before she decided to speak up.

"A-Ano…"

Her voice came out quieter than usual, but it was still high enough for the two members of Team Gai to turn their heads in her direction. Then, everything happened at once; Tenten rushed to her side, and bent down next to her while Neji simply turned to her, arms still pressed against his chest.

"Hinata-san, how are you feeling?" Tenten inquired as she raised a hand, and pressed her palm against the Hyuuga heiress' forehead. "Are you feeling woozy or something?"

"Umm, no," Hinata answered as she finally looked away from Neji's pallid orbs to gaze at Tenten, "What happened?"

"Ah, we were kind of hoping you would tell us. You see—"

"We found you unconscious." Neji interrupted Tenten's explanation, his aura emanating strictness, "Naruto was with you, making no effort to aid you. What happened between the two of you?"

"Naruto-kun…?" Hinata trailed off, and her eyes widened as flashes of what had happened not too long before started flooding her mind.

She had gone to look for him after he had left the Hokage's building…

She had found him at the top of the Hokage's Monument and they had talked…

He had hugged her…

He had _kissed _her…

At the memory of the kiss, Hinata felt blood rushing at full speed in direction of her face while her heartbeat increased rapidly. The palms of her hands grew sweaty as the girl recalled the exact moment when Naruto's lips had met hers in a chaste kiss, and light-headedness immediately conquered her whole body.

"Hinata-san?" Tenten called out when she noticed the darkening shade of red in the other girl's face, and she immediately turned to Neji. "I think we should take her to the hospital. It looks as if she's about to faint."

"Hinata-sama," Neji called out as he shifted closer to his cousin only to crouch in front of her seconds later, and Hinata stared dizzily back at him, "Look at me, and concentrate. Do not faint again. That will do you no good."

Oh lord, how on earth was she supposed to focus when all of her body was recalling the moment when Naruto had fallen on her, and worst, _kissed_ her? That was like ordering the wind to never blow again!

"Hinata-sama," Neji repeated, his voice strong and commanding, "I need you to tell me what happened between you and Naruto. If he was somewhat disrespectful to you, I must know in order to act. So, keep your eyes on me, and answer my question; what did Naruto do to you?"

"He…he…"

"Hinata-san, Naruto told us he hugged you." Tenten decided to speak up as she focused her attention on the heiress as well, "Is that the reason why you're like this?"

The hug…oh the hug!

"A-Ah…" Hinata took in another deep breath before she looked away from Neji's excruciating glare to stare at the other girl," Y-Yeah…he…we…hugged…"

"Was that all?" Neji questioned, and Hinata looked back at him only to regret that action seconds later. The way Neji was staring at her was almost frightening; it was almost as if he was using _Byakugan_, and observing her core…searching for the secrets she did not want to confess…looking for the sins she did not regret committing…

"Y-Yes…" Hinata stuttered, her cheeks now a glowing red while flashes of her first kiss continued swirling around in her mind. She could not tell Neji the truth; she knew he would hunt Naruto down if she did, and she could not allow that.

An uneasy silence was all that followed Hinata's answer, her nervous pallid orbs still locked with Neji's hard ones. Her need to look away was almost suffocating, but Hinata knew that if she broke the eye-contact then Neji would know she was hiding something, and then Naruto would be put in even more danger.

"Well, I still think we should take you to the hospital." Tenten declared, and Hinata mentally thanked heavens for giving her a reason to look away from her cousin. Quickly, though without transpiring her need to escape from Neji's stare, Hinata focused her attention on Tenten, and lightly shook her head.

"I don't need to go to the hospital." she said, "I'm fine. I…I'm sorry for worrying you."

"Nah, it's okay." Tenten waved a hand in front of her face, as if dismissing her apology, "At least let me help you stand up. But if I see that you're still under the weather, then we'll take you directly to the hospital, right Neji?"

For a moment, the member of the Hyuuga Branch Family simply continued staring at his cousin. Timidly, Hinata glanced at him, but when she noticed his blank facial expression she immediately forced herself to stand up from the ground. Quickly, Tenten grasped her arm, and helped her to get back to her feet, a faint smile on her face.

"Let's take it easy, okay?" she asked, and Hinata looked at her before nodding. "C'mon, we'll take you back to the Hyuuga Compound. And while we're at it, let me tell you about a miracle that happened right before we found you and Naruto."

Blinking, Hinata stared weirdly at Tenten, but she ended up glancing at Neji when she heard her cousin growling slightly under his breath.

"Tenten…"

"What? It's not everyday a miracle happens, and I think Hinata-san deserves to know about it," the brunette stated as she stared at her team mate, but all Neji did was grunt again. Ignoring him, Tenten turned to Hinata, and smiled at the girl when she looked back at her. "You see, Hinata-san, your dear cousin laughed!"

"E-eh?" Hinata stammered, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, and she vaguely heard Neji sigh from behind her since Tenten had began to laugh.

"Yeah, he laughed and smiled! What do you say if we publish that in the local's newspaper?"

As Tenten continue talking, Neji occasionally growling at her comments, Hinata glanced at the heavens above, and pictured Naruto's face in her mind. Immediately, her cheeks gained a nice shade of pink, and the girl mentally shook her head in a desperate attempt to keep it clean of any thoughts.

She did not know why, but she could not help but feel as if things had just become even more complicated…

* * *

The look on Kakashi's face was one she was positive she would never forget. His reaction had been priceless too; unexpected, but still inestimable, and in the future she was definitely going to recall it especially if she was in need of a good laugh.

Unfortunately, at the current moment, she honestly did not feel like laughing at all. In fact, the stillness that had followed her out-burst was beginning to tickle her insides, causing her to feel tenseness emerge from the pit of her stomach.

And it was needless to say she hated that sensation.

Lowering her head, Mesi looked away from Kakashi, who was still on the floor, and stared down at her hands. Unconsciously, she twitched her fingers, but managed to stop herself from closing her hands into tight fists. Instead, she entwined her fingers together, and rested her hands on her stomach.

Only then did she find the courage to speak up again.

"If you don't like it, you can just say so."

When Kakashi still did not say a word after that, Mesi closed her eyes, and felt her eyebrow twitch in irritation. Quickly, she raised her head to look at him, but when she opened her eyes, ready to express her frustration, Mesi faintly gasped.

She had not even heard him stand up from the floor.

"What did you just say?" Kakashi asked, his nose inches away from Mesi's, while his eye was locked with her mismatched orbs. Blinking, Mesi moved her head backwards, creating some space between the two of them.

"I said that if you don't like it, you can just say so." she repeated, but the look Kakashi had on his face did not even quiver.

"No, what did you say before that?" he asked again, and Mesi stared weirdly at him for a second before she thought about what she had spoken before. It was not hard for her to figure out what he wanted her to repeat.

"I'm seven weeks pregnant with your child."

There was only more silence after that declaration, but this time, Kakashi did not even move an inch. Instead, he kept staring at her, his eye piercing hers almost in a desperate mission to find out if she was speaking the truth or not.

However, even though she was still feeling slightly nervous and upset by his actions, Mesi understood why Kakashi was not reacting to the news. She knew he was thinking about his own childhood…about everything he had gone through with his father…

She knew he was meditating about what that announcement meant, and about how greatly it would affect their lives.

"Kakashi…" Mesi started, her voice coming out softer and lower. Gently, she reached out for him, and run her fingers down his arm until they rested on his hand. Then, without saying anything, she raised his hand with care before she rested it over her flat belly, "You're going to be a father."

That got a reaction out of him. Breaking the eye-contact, Kakashi finally looked down at where his hand was, and stared at her stomach for what resembled to an eternity. Mesi felt a shiver run up her spine when his thumb suddenly shifted, consequently caressing her belly although there was a layer of clothing separating their skin.

"I'm going to be a father…" Kakashi whispered, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that what he was living was not a dream. Then, he glanced at Mesi, "And you're going to be a mother…"

"Looks like it, yes." Mesi answered as she tried to suppress her need to laugh at his antics, but Kakashi simply continued staring at her.

"That means it's our child…"

"I won't dignify that comment with a reply." Mesi immediately stated, "Honestly Kakashi, I know we didn't exact plan this, but you could at least pr—"

The female Jonin was cut off when Kakashi suddenly grasped her chin with a hand before he smashed his lips against hers. Widening her eyes in surprise, Mesi struggled to understand how Kakashi had even been able to pull his mask down without her noticing, but all thoughts vanquished from her mind when she felt a hand rest behind her head.

However, before she could even think about kissing him back, Kakashi broke the kiss, and stared at her in the eyes once more.

"Was the baby the reason why you were planning on leaving the village?" now it was Mesi's turn to look away, and for Kakashi to sigh at her actions. "Mesi…"

"Not exactly…" the Jonin admitted, her voice dropping a little bit, and Kakashi straightened up as he waited for her to continue. "When I informed Tsunade-sama about my wish to depart, we were only suspicious about my condition. As you know, I haven't suffered any sort of symptoms yet."

"But you were still thinking about leaving." Kakashi asked though it sounded more like a statement, and Mesi immediately stared at him in the eye.

"I would never leave without telling you first, you know that." she declared, "Like I said, this child was not planned. I don't even how this happened, and when I was confronted with the news, I just didn't know what to do."

"Oh, I know how this happened." Kakashi started after a pause, and Mesi blinked at his surprisingly teasing tone, "Remember what we started in the kitchen a few weeks a—"

"Kakashi!" Mesi exclaimed, looking horrified, and it was then that she noticed the figure standing by the door. Unable to stop herself, the woman felt her cheeks warm up before she raised her hands, and pushed Kakashi away from her.

Not understanding her reaction, the male Jonin looked over his shoulder, and blinked when he saw Shizune. On contrary of Mesi, though, who was still looking surprised, he simply straightened his back, and stuffed his hands inside his pants' pockets.

"So, you're back." he observed in a nonchalant way, and when she heard Shizune clear her throat in discomfort, Mesi glared at Kakashi, ignoring the fact he was still staring at the newcomer. "Shall I leave?"

"A-Ah, well, I came here to tell Mesi-san about the exams we're about to do." Shizune promptly explained as she walked forward, and it was then that Mesi noticed her slightly pink cheeks. Dear heavens, she was never going to see the end of it now. "And err…Tsunade-sama also told me to inform you that…err…even when Mesi-san goes home, you two can't…umm…"

"We can't what?" Kakashi questioned, and Mesi once again focused her attention on him before she rolled her eyes. She knew what he was doing; he was teasing the poor woman. Both of them knew what Shizune was struggling to say, and yet Kakashi had decided to be an idiot, and mock her to no end.

Or at least there would be no end had she decided to stay silent.

"Don't worry, Shizune." Mesi spoke up as she focused her attention on the medical-nin, and then she pointed her thumb in Kakashi's direction, "He'll be sleeping on the sofa for a while."

"Eh?" Kakashi blurred out as he widened his eye slightly in surprise, and he immediately turned to Mesi, "What's that all about? What did I do?"

"Oh, you know very well what you did." Mesi promptly retorted, and Shizune raised a hand to her lips to stop herself from giggling. "And don't give me that look. You are going to sleep on the sofa for a while."

"But…but…"

"Mesi-san, we'll start the first exam in half an hour." Shizune declared all of a sudden, interrupting Kakashi's stutter, and the other woman turned to her before nodding. "Please, restrain yourself from making any sudden moves. Oh, and Kakashi-sensei…"

The Jounin turned to her, and Shizune smiled faintly at him.

"Hang in there."

"How funny…" Kakashi muttered under his breath as he watched Shizune walk out of the room, but it was only after the door was closed that he turned to Mesi again. The look on his face, the female Jounin quickly noticed, reminded her of a lost puppy. "Do I really have to sleep on the sofa?"

"Didn't you hear?" Mesi asked, but when Kakashi said nothing, she smirked at him, "Doctor's orders."

* * *

With an angry shove, Naruto opened the front door of his apartment, and stormed inside only to close the door shut with a slam. Without even bothering to be quiet, the young man marched straight his room, and as soon as he walked through the door he stopped. Without caring about placidness, he dove straight to his bed, and rested his face on his pillow.

He honestly did not know what he should do to get rid of all the feelings that were pulsating through his veins. At the beginning he had been downright pissed off, but after talking to Hinata he had also began to feel dejected only to sense that sensation being replaced by contentment moments later.

And obviously all those feelings had surfaced moments before he had kissed her.

At the memory, Naruto felt his cheeks grow red in awkwardness. He had been so embarrassed when that had happened…he had felt so self-conscious to the point all he had been able to do was to stand up, and stare with wide eyes at Hinata as the girl fainted on the ground.

And when Naruto had believed that things could not get any worse, Neji and Tenten had appeared in front of his eyes.

As if his life was not already complicated as it was!

Instinctively, Naruto closed his right hand into a fist, and slammed it against the mattress. Anger was beginning to flow through his veins again, and he knew that if he did not calm down, then something bad would undoubtedly happen, and he was not in the mood to cause any more troubles.

Resting his hands on each sides of his pillow, Naruto raised his torso off the bed. Then, with narrowed eyes, he stared at the left side of his bedroom door, and gritted his teeth. There it was, standing exactly on the same spot where he had put it, almost as if taunting him…

…the box he had brought from Land of Whirlpool.

Hinata had been the one to ask if he did not think it would be better if he took the box to the apartment before they went to visit the Fifth Hokage. Naruto had quickly agreed with that idea, hence why he was now staring at the said wooden box as he continued sitting on the bed.

"_The Fourth Hokage was my teacher. And yes, he was your father."_

Naruto let out a low growl when Kakashi's voice echoed through his mind. Despite of the initial shock, he honestly still had some difficulty accepting that the Fourth Hokage was his father. He really could not understand why the Yondaime had chosen his own son to act as the container of a beast when…

Without wanting to finish that thought, Naruto slid his legs off the bed, and stood up. With small steps, he made his way towards the box before he picked it up from the floor only to sit on his bed again seconds later. After hesitating for a moment, Naruto eventually put the box next to him, on the mattress, and opened it.

After closing his hands into loosened fists, Naruto finally decided to reach out for the diary that was on top of the pile. Regretfully he had left the photograph album at Tsunade's office, which meant he would have to go back sooner or later.

And it was unnecessary to say Naruto preferred to go back later…much later.

Tenderly, the young man grabbed the first diary with both hands before he stared down at the ordinary dark green cover. In the middle of cover _U. Kushina_ could be read, written in silver, but Naruto decided to overlook it as he prepared himself to open the book…

…Only to stop as soon as his fingers rested on the cover, ready to open it.

One side of him was really excited about reading whatever could have been scribbled on those pages, but the other side of him, his insecure side...that side was concerned about the truths he was about to disclose.

And it was that same side of his that told him about the possibility of Naruto asking Hinata if she would like to examine those diaries with him.

Hinata…

Naruto could not help but go red when the heiress' face emerged from the back of his brain. Shaking his head, Naruto tried to focus his attention on the book he was holding. Even though he would undeniably feel better if Hinata was there with him that was still something he needed to do alone because those journals told the story of his family…

…The family he had struggled to hard to find…

Taking a deep breath in, Naruto opened the diary, and felt a shiver run up his spine when a neat handwriting appeared in front of his eyes. Without looking away from the front page, the boy moved backwards so that his back could rest against the headboard of the bed. At his feet was the open box, filled with other diaries that Naruto knew he would have to read eventually.

But for now all that mattered was the one he was holding.

"_I cannot help but be angry. What kind of Daimyo is my father when he cannot even take care of his own people? Why does he have to continue with such foolish bets? The countries are growing unstable, and yet all he thinks is about his wealth!_

_And the Council! What a bunch of old men! They care about nothing except for their own safety measures and desires! It's so irritating!"_

Naruto blinked at the rage that was clear in those two small paragraphs. Apparently his mother did not have the habit of writing down dates or anything that could create an accurate chronological line. But then again, it was not as if that was important at the moment.

Quickly, Naruto skipped a few pages, and started reading another part.

"_The time to write about silly things has long passed. The war has finally ended, and now it is time to__ help the village. I heard that the Land of Fire was one of the most devastated and yet it was also the one that managed to end with the massacre._

_I heard that shinobi from all over are planning to go to Konohagakure. If the information I received is correct, then even the Kages will be gathering soon. The need to offer security t__o the villagers has never been so imperative._

_The only thing that is troubling me is the way the Council is behaving. All they want is to find a way to keep Land of Whirlpool safe when it's obvious we'll never be able to do that alone. And my father…he cares for nothing but his own money. He frequently expresses his wish to help his people, but I know the only reason why he wants to do that has to do with the fact that without our villagers my father will no longer have the money he needs to keep his status as the Daimyo._

_And that is absolutely hideous. If I had the power, I would rush to Land of Fire, and do my best to bring peace and hope back to my Land. But power is something I do not have; being the daughter of a Daimyo offers me enough authority to wander around with no problem, but I doubt it __would ever be enough to put me in the same room as all the Kages."_

Naruto paused at that. According to what he had learnt at the Academy, his mother was probably referring to last major war and it was clear that she had not met his father yet.

For a second, Naruto wondered how long it had taken for the two of them to meet.

Quickly, the blond skipped a few other pages, but before he could even chose a passage, someone knocked on the front door. Raising his head, Naruto stopped his movements for a second before he let out a sigh.

Gently, he put the journal next to him before he stood up, and left the room. This time he made no sound against the floor as he approached the front door, and it was with a quick movement with his wrist that he turned the doorknob around.

"Sakura-san!" Naruto exclaimed when his eyes met a pair of pale-green orbs, "What's wrong?"

"It's nice seeing you too, Naruto." the girl retorted, and Naruto smiled sheepishly at her before he gave on step backwards so that she could enter. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." Naruto answered, as he mentally told himself that he would have time to read the diaries later, "C'mon in. Would you like something to eat?"

"No, I'm fine." Sakura responded as she walked inside, and Naruto took the opportunity to close the door behind her. "I umm… Can I go to the living-room?"

"Sure! What do you want to talk about?" Naruto asked as he waved a hand, silently indicating Sakura that she could go ahead.

"I…" Sakura trailed off as she walked inside the living-room, and quickly made her way towards the sofa where she sat down. Naruto, however, continued standing, "I umm…I wanted to talk to you about…Sasuke-kun."

"Sasuke-teme?" Naruto repeated as he raised an eyebrow in suspicion, and he promptly sat down on an armchair, "What happened to him?"

"I'm not quite sure…" Sakura started hesitantly, and Naruto titled his head slightly to the side, "He…I…I mean, we kind of…went to Uchiha Compound."

"You two went to the Uchiha Compound?" Naruto repeated, and Sakura waited for a minute before nodding in reply, "What for? Is Sasuke-teme finally going to start rebuilding that place? Because if he is, I wouldn't mind giving him a hand."

"I'm not sure about that." Sakura started, and then she stared at the boy directly in the eye, "But Naruto…I have the feeling Sasuke-kun is hiding something from us…something important."

As Sakura spoke those words, a current of air entered inside Naruto's room through the slightly opened window. Ancient pages started flapping around, dancing with the breeze until a white folded paper detached itself from the waltz only to soar around the room.

When the wind died down, bringing the silent dance to an end, the paper started descending in direction of the floor only to find its rest behind the open door of the bedroom. And there it stayed…immobile…silent…forgotten…

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

_**Authoress Note: **_Okay, so I guess it won't be too bad if I add some information about my Original Character, Kourui Mesi, now like I did with Hana.

**Name: **Kourui Mesi

**Affiliation:** Konohagakure (aka Hidden Village among Tree Leaves)

**Family:**

Kourui Sho (father; deceased)

Kourui Masumi (mother; deceased)

**Team:**_Team Rie_

Chiharu Rie (Team Leader; deceased)

Ryota Masato (medical-nin; deceased)

Tadao Raiden (deceased)

**Highest Rank****: **Jonin

**Jutsus/weapons****: **Only revealed when necessary, but she usually uses _Kuchiyose no Jutsu _aka _Summoning Technique_. Mesi contract connected her to birds.

**Romantic Interest: **Hatake Kakashi

Any more questions, feel free to ask!


	32. Passion for the Unknown

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay, I want to thank everyone for your constant support. I really hope this story isn't getting any boring to any of you; this is the first time I go over thirty chapters in one story. For now, I'll just thank _**Rose Tiger**_, _**AnonymousD5**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Gabo 1602**_, _**lovingo0Kawaii0oGirl**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Lord Kain**_, _**Shale - Heart of the Pack**_, _**theduckoverthere**_, _**Remuko**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**MistressWinowyll**_, _**GryffindorHyuuga**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**62635377**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**Cueil**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**HoNdeR**_, _**lil and spring**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_, _**KarageruX16845**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**alwaysNaruHina**_ and _**Missmybcmiyuki**_. Your support is awesome, and I would be nothing without it.

* * *

**Chapter 31**

_Passion for the Unknown_

To say she was pissed off was an understatement.

Once glance her way was enough to let everyone know that it would be better not to address her. So far only an idiot from the Hyuuga Branch Family had dared to greet her, but one single fierce look from her had been enough to shut him up.

Rage was still running through her veins like lava, and she was still dealing with her need to hit something as hard as she could. Picking up a fight was too immature, and unfortunately her team mates were nowhere around to spar with her.

Gritting her teeth, Hyuuga Hanabi continued walking through a crowded street, ignoring the way everyone stepped backwards whenever she got closer to them. Where was a half-wit who could fight when she needed one?

"Oi, Hanabi!" a voice called out, and the girl unconsciously clenched her hands into tight fists before she spun around on her heels. Ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat when she noticed who had called out for her, Hanabi clenched her jaw. "I finally found you!"

Curious, she had been looking for an idiot, but for some abnormal reason, she could not force herself to hit him…

…He was, after all, her half-wit.

Not that she would ever admit that out-loud.

"How are you?"

Hanabi struggled to look away from his sparkling amber orbs, but she failed miserably when she found herself staring at his smashing smile. Instead, she forced herself to shrug.

"Don't ask." she hissed through her teeth, and the boy stared weirdly at her for a second before he smiled again. "What do you want?"

"Such a sunshine, you are." the boy laughed before he run his fingers through his black tresses, which had been previously pulled into a low ponytail. "I just saw you marching down the street, and decided to check on you. Everybody's kind of trying to stay away from you, and I wanted to know why."

"It's none of your business." Hanabi immediately snapped, and the boy blinked at her reaction before he shrugged in a nonchalant way.

"I know it's none of my business, but that doesn't change the fact I have a feeling that whatever is bothering you is connected to your Clan." he observed, and Hanabi was unable to restrain herself from titling her head to the side at his comment. Yep, he was her very own Kenta Sadao; the only one who could actually figure out everything without sweating, and still behave like a brainless idiot.

"So, am I right?"

For a second, Hanabi had to fight the urge of punching him on the face, and get rid of his irritatingly charming smirk.

"Go to hell." the Hyuuga girl cursed before she spun around, and started walking down the street, anger flashing from the depths of her eyes. However, before she could give three steps forward, her team mate appeared next to her.

"C'mon Hanabi, you know you can talk to me." Sadao pointed out, the smirk back to his lips, but the girl did not look away from the path ahead. "Besides, I know how much you enjoy kicking some trees when you're like this. We could practice together for a while."

"While you annoy the crap out of me to the point when I'll either end up telling you everything or hitting you in the face?" Hanabi asked as she looked at him through the corner of her eyes, her arms now crossed against her chest. "Regardless of how tempting the offer may be, I will still say; no thanks."

"Aw, you wounded me!" Sadao exclaimed overdramatically as he rested a hand on his chest, and clutched the front of his t-shirt, "I annoy the crap out of you? Since when do I do that? I do not recall one single time when I did that. Are you sure you're not confusing me with Taro? Because he sure knows how to be a royal pain in the as—"

"Oh, shut it." Hanabi interrupted him as she stopped walking, and stared angrily at him, "And fine! I'll spar with you, but only under the condition you'll shut up, and not say a word until I say so. Do we have a deal?"

"But I—"

"Do we have a deal?" Hanabi repeated through her gritted teeth, and Sadao blinked at her behaviour before he let out a tired sigh.

"Okay, I get it; you really are no fun." he complained, but when Hanabi simply glared at him, he raised both his hands in front of his chest. "Okay, okay, I'm shutting up now. Geez, now I really do want to know what happened."

_Your sister is to wed with the leader of another Clan, and will depart to live with him. That means the Hyuuga Clan will lose its heiress, and that is where you come in. With your sister's departure, you, Hyuuga Hanabi, my second daughter, will become the Head of the Hyuuga Clan._

Hanabi clenched her hands when her father's voice echoed through her mind, although she still had her arms crossed against her chest. She honestly could not believe her father! And she could not believe her sister had agree with the whole thing either!

Argh, the need to punch something was surfacing again!

"Hanabi?" Sadao called out as he waved a hand in front of the girl's face, and Hanabi did not even blink when she suddenly raised a hand, and grabbed the boy's wrist. "Err…I was just trying to catch your attention, you know?"

"Stop that." Hanabi ordered, "And let's go."

"Well, I can wa—" Sadao quieted down when Hanabi suddenly turned around, and yanked his wrist, forcing him to follow her. "Hey, Hanabi, you sure you don't want to tell me what's going on? I know I probably won't be able to help, but I could still listen, and you know I won't say a word without your permission…"

_This matter has yet to be made public, so do not speak of this unless you are told otherwise. Until then, you will start a new training…a training that will aid you to become the suitable Hyuuga Head in the future._

"Hanabi…?"

"Yeah, I know…" the girl finally said, and she involuntarily slipped her hand down from the boy's wrist so that their fingers were now entwined, "Just…shut up, and help me release some energy, alright?"

Instead of answering, Sadao glanced down at their joined hands before he gazed at the back of Hanabi's head since she was still dragging him down the street. Then, as he observed the girl's long brown tresses, he smiled faintly.

"Sure, you can count on me!"

At that exclamation, Hanabi looked at Sadao, and mentally let out a sigh when she saw his grin. Yep, he was an idiot, but at least he was her treasured idiot.

* * *

Night came, bringing with it sleepiness to the already exhausted bodies. Stars twinkled on top of the dark heavens, singing unvoiced lullabies, while dreams haunted the slumber of many. The Full Moon shone brightly in all its pallid magnificence, offering a sense of splendour to the darkness of the hours.

It was right when shades of red and orange started conquering the horizon that a pair of eyelids fluttered open, revealing two sleepy dark orbs. Yawning, Nara Shikamaru sat up on his bed, stretching as he did before he started rubbing his eyes.

To wake up so early was such a troublesome thing to do…

"Man, what possessed me to wake this early?" Shikamaru complained as he stared at his alarm-clock, and saw that it was only six in the morning. Mumbling incomprehensible things under his breath, the young man finally forced himself to stand up from his bed, and make his way towards the bathroom.

Quietly, in order not to wake his parents up, Shikamaru took a quick shower, and dressed up. Although he truly did not feel like going through the trouble, Shikamaru went to the kitchen, and prepared his breakfast.

As he munched on his cereals, Shikamaru thought about what he was to do that morning. He was to go to Choji's house, and drag him out of his bed. Then, they would go for a run across the village before going practice a little bit. Afterwards, Shikamaru would take his friend to his favourite barbecue restaurant, and only then he would question Choji about what had happened with Ino.

Yes, that sounded like a good plan, except for one not-so-little detail.

Shaking his head, Shikamaru finished eating, and after reaching out for an apple, he made his way towards the front door of his house. Then, with quiet movements, he closed the door soundlessly behind him, and made his way towards the Akimichi's residence.

It did not take long for him to reach the front door of Choji's house, but it did take Shikamaru quite a while to give the first step towards the door. How long exactly? He was not sure; he lost count after the first ten minutes.

But the worst was not that; oh no, the worst was his awareness of how people had begun to look his way in confusion a while ago.

But then again, it was not as if he could blame them. Most people were already used to see him walk inside the residence in front of him without much bother, but today it was different. Sure he had a plan, and yes, he intended on making sure his schedule was completed, but he still could not help but feel hesitant.

And it was needless to say he was beginning to get irritated by his faltering.

It was easy really; all he had to do was to make his way towards the front door, push it aside, and call out for his best friend's name. Nothing too troublesome and he could do both things effortlessly, but then why were his feet planted on the ground, behaving as if they had been tied down by _Kageyose no Jutsu_?

"Mendokusee…"

Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru forced his right foot to give one step forward only to oblige his left foot to do the same seconds later. What usually only took him seconds to do, had taken him a little over a minute to accomplish that day. Even though he would never bother to express his feelings, Shikamaru _was_ beginning to feel annoyed with himself.

Why on earth was he so indecisive anyway? He was going to his best friend's house not to war!

"_Ittekimasu!"_ a voice shouted from the other side of the front door, and Shikamaru only had time to give one step backwards for the door was swiftly pushed aside…

…And his dark eyes met a pair of hazel orbs instantaneously.

Oh, of course! The not-so-little detail he had not managed to overcome during his planning!

"Shikamaru-san!"

The member of the Nara Clan snapped from his daze at his name, and he quickly shook his head in order to stop with his trail of confusing thoughts. Wordlessly he stared at the young woman standing in front of him, whose eyes were widened in both surprise and shock.

"What are you doing here?"

"I-I…" now that was new. Had he ever stuttered before? Shikamaru cleared his throat in an attempt to calm himself down, "I came here to check on Choji. Ino hasn't been that great ever since you…"

Shikamaru trailed off as he recalled what Hana had done to his female team mate. Never, ever since the day when they had first met, had Shikamaru believed that the medical-nin in front of him would be capable of hitting someone. The second Hana had slapped Ino in front of him had forced him to wonder about what could have been strong enough to drive such composed girl to do such thing.

And of course since Ino had refused to tell him anything, Shikamaru had resigned himself to the fact he would have to come up with a plan to drag Choji out of his house, and ask him about it.

"Oh, umm, Choji's in his room." Hana answered, and it was then that Shikamaru noticed the way she was chewing her lower lip. Apparently, she was not too at ease either. "You can go inside, if you want. Oba-san is there, so she'll probably talk to you first."

"Ah, okay," Shikamaru answered, and silence surrounded them. Unbeknownst to each other, both young adults looked down at their feet, Shikamaru wondering if he should say something else or simply walk inside the house.

Despite of his discomfort, he truly wanted to talk to Hana. He wanted to ask her if she could help him out with Ino and Choji, not in order to get them together again, but because Team Ten would not be able to function appropriately if they did not work in synchronization.

"Well, I have to go now." Hana announced abruptly, but when Shikamaru raised his eyes to look at her face he noticed she was still staring at the ground, "I have to go help at the hospital. I …I'll see you later."

"Wait." Shikamaru whispered right when Hana was about to walk past him, and she hesitantly turned her head to the side in order to look at him. When, once again, their eyes met, Shikamaru decided that he was not going to be the one to break the eye-contact. "What happened between you and Ino, you—"

"I'm really sorry about what I did to Ino-san." Hana swiftly interrupted him, and Shikamaru blinked at her apology. "I was out of line, and I had no right to slap Ino-san like I did, but I was too angry to even think rationally."

"Well, you—"

"Could you tell Ino-san that I'm sorry?" Hana continued, and Shikamaru mentally sighed when he understood what she was doing. She was trying to finish her speech as soon as possible in order to get away as quickly as possible. However, what he could not understand was why she was doing it. "Please, tell her I will apologize to her properly later."

"Hana, we—"

"Hana-san!"

Shikamaru grunted at the voice before he turned his head to the other side so that he was now staring directly at non-other than Rock Lee himself. Reflexively, he closed his hands into tight fists, his eyes narrowing as he watched the member of Team Gai get closer.

Strange, for a second he wonder how good it would feel if he just punched Lee…

"Lee-kun!"

Shikamaru turned to Hana again, the name she had just uttered echoing in his head. Lee_-kun_? Since when had _that_ happened? Last time they had been together, Hana had addressed to Lee with the suffix 'san', Shikamaru was positive of it, so what had happened for them to grow closer?

"Hana-san, I met Sakura-san by the hospital, and she asked if I could come and get you!" Lee explained as he finally reached them only to nod in Shikamaru's way. The member of the Nara Clan, however, was so focused on the medical-nin that he forgot to nod back. "According to what she said, the Academy is planning a simulation, so all help is needed."

"Yes, I was on my way, but then I met Shikamaru-san…"

For some reason, Shikamaru was not able to stop himself from wincing at the honorific Hana had used to refer to him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way." Shikamaru apologized, his voice coming out a tad strict, and Hana turned to him. "Perhaps it's better if I come back later. Tell Choji I'll drop by some other time."

"But you—"

Without bothering to say something else, Shikamaru turned his back to Hana, and walked away. As the distance between him and Hana increased, the member of the Nara Clan started slowing his pace down before stopping.

With a tired sigh, Shikamaru raised his eyes, and stared at the coloured heavens above. He honestly could not understand what had happened just now, but whether he recalled the way Hana had used to address to Lee, he could not help but feel anger explode from the depths of his soul.

"Man, this is such a drag…" Shikamaru mumbled to himself as he dropped his head, and then he forced himself to start walking again. Had Shikamaru looked up again, he would have seen a brown eagle crossing the skies, the symbol of the Land of Wind on the ring it had strapped to its right leg.

* * *

Sasuke stared blankly at the scroll inside the drawer. He could still remember staring at the boy, who had bowed in front of him while holding his arms out. He could still see the aura of discomfort emanating from the boy's body, and Sasuke could still see himself reaching out for the scroll the boy was holding with both his hands.

He had told the boy to inform Hiashi that he would personally hand him the contract in a few days. He had also told the boy to explain that the reason for the delay had to do with the fact Kakashi was not present to exert his position as a witness.

Silently, Sasuke raised a hand towards the drawer, and still with an unemotional expression on his face, he stared down at the scroll, and looked directly at the Hyuuga seal.

So, it was finally time to bring that joke to an end. Two different signatures would finally unite two of the most authoritarians Clans, and nothing would be strong enough to break the contract.

However, there was still one thing left for Sasuke to take care of.

Noiselessly, Sasuke made his way to the office, and put the scroll inside one of the books he was currently reading. Then, without bothering to write a note for Kakashi or Mesi, the last member of the Uchiha Clan made his way towards the front door.

Raising his head up, Sasuke closed the door behind him, and started walking forward. He honestly did not care about the consequences that could result from what he was about to do. All he knew was that he was the only one who could do it for the other person most likely had no courage to visit him.

So, if the other person was not coming for him, he would definitely go to her.

And that was why he was now walking down a street, ignoring the way people kept turning his way as he walked past them

That was why he was surely yet silently going to the Hyuuga Compound.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q: **Honestly, when is Naruto going to find out about Sasuke and Hinata's arranged wedding? This is taking ages!

**A: **Trust me; it won't take too long now. Just hold on, okay?


	33. The Snake & The Sun

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I last updated this story, has it not? I'm really sorry about it (bows). One of the reasons why it took me so long has to do with the fact I am a little worried about how all of you are going to react after this chapter. I am rooting for positive remarks, but…well, if not so positive comments are made, I guess I deserve them.

Anyway, I want to leave here a thanks to everyone who keeps reading this story, but especially to _**R**__**ose Tiger**_, _**SunsetRainbow**_, _**nightmare wishes**_, _**DragonoftheEastblue**_, _**Moonfayth**_, _**Hektols**_, _**Kisdota-The Freak Gamer**_, _**missingthepoint**_, _**Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess**_, _**SilentSinger948**_, _**Sandstorm3D**_, _**62635377**_, _**Katqueen95**_, _**jolteonforever**_, _**Remuko**_, _**unique229**_, _**pandora charm**_, _**rocklee-km3**_, _**alwaysNaruHina**_, _**Cueil**_, _**princess-stella-of-solaria**_, _**Samebito Ryu**_ and _**Missmybcmiyuki**_ for always letting me know what they think of the new chapters. Your support is really awesome!

* * *

**Chapter ****32**

_The Snake & The Sun_

Hinata quietly made her way out of the dojo, wiping the sweat of her brow as she went. Her racing heart was gradually returning to its usual beat, and the girl could not help but faintly smile when a cool flow of air caressed her burning cheeks.

Practicing in the morning had always helped her to get her mind off things, and that had been exactly what she had been aching to do since the previous day. Ever since she had been forced to recall what had happened between her and Naruto that Hinata had felt both self-conscious and horrified. The first because she honestly did not know what she was supposed to do or how to react next time she met Naruto, and horrified because…well, it had been her first kiss. Not only that, but it had been an _accidental_ first kiss.

And quite frankly, Hinata was a little scared about asking Naruto what he thought about the whole thing. That if she actually had the courage to bring the event up in a conversation, which, Hinata regrettably admitted, would most likely never happen.

"What do you think you're doing, Hinata-sama?" a voice inquired all of a sudden, and the girl looked to her side only to see Neji approach her from her left. Although she did not show it, Hinata did notice the way he was observing her. "You should be resting."

"A-ah, but I'm fine." Hinata started, her eyes finding Neji's after a couple of seconds, "You really have no need to worry about me, Neji-nii-san."

"Still, you should not force yourself." the young man declared, and Hinata looked down at his tone, "Regardless if you no longer feel weak, you still should not train so hard. You've been practicing for three hours."

Hinata raised her head at that comment.

"You…"

"However, I have a reason to be here." Neji proceeded, giving Hinata no time to utter her question, "You have a visit. He is expecting you in the visitor's living-room."

"He?" Hinata repeated, and for a split of a second she wondered if her visitor could be Naruto. However, as soon as that thought popped in her mind, Hinata was forced to push it aside; her father would never allow Naruto to even set one foot inside the Hyuuga Compound. Perhaps it was Kiba or Shino?

"Yes," Neji started, his facial expression growing darker as he spoke, and Hinata could not help but gulp at his deepening voice, "Uchiha Sasuke."

Hinata's heart dropped at those words. Uchiha Sasuke wanted to talk to her? Had something happened to the contract? Had he thought better about the whole arrangement, and decided to call the engagement off?

The small trip to the visitors' living-room had never been so excruciating. Each breath sprinkled all of her senses while it aided her apprehension to breed inside of her. Her pale orbs were locked with the closed door at the end of the hall, almost as if she was hoping for that same door to magically disappear, taking her visitor along with it.

However, Hinata knew better than that.

She knew that regardless of what she wished…regardless of what she hoped for, the door would stay where it was, creating a wall between her and Uchiha Sasuke. A wall that Hinata knew that she would have to smash down sooner or later…

With a shaky breath, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan stopped in front of the still closed door. Thankfully she had managed to convince Neji that she would be alright all by herself; she certainly did not want for her cousin to see her in such a condition.

She was away from any prying eyes…her father was not there, and Sasuke was being concealed by that door in front of her, and yet, regardless of the surrounding loneliness, Hinata could not help but behave like a frightened rabbit.

A terrified rabbit that was about to step inside the snake's hole…

Swallowing hard, Hinata mentally noticed how dry her throat had gotten due to her uneasiness. Then, as she struggled to keep her tenseness hidden, the young woman raised a hand, and rested it on the side of the door.

Then, with a gentle yet somewhat strong push, Hinata pushed the door to its side, her breath getting stuck on her throat as soon as her eyes landed on her visitor.

She truly would never understand what girls saw in Uchiha Sasuke.

Yes, Hinata was not going to deny it; Sasuke _was_ a handsome man, but that was pretty much it. Although she was aware of his past, she did not believe that such thing should be used as the ceaseless excuse people seemed to love applying whenever necessary to explain his personality.

For Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke was a conceited, ambitious _idiot_ who had allowed for his wish of vengeance to take control of his whole life. Hinata had always tried to overlook the way Sasuke and Naruto had always bickered – seeing that pretty much as the way siblings were supposed to act – but when Sasuke had returned to Konoha for revenge, Hinata was obligated to look at him through another light.

At the time, Hinata had truly believed that Sasuke was nothing more than a person who had lost all his aspirations, and was desperately struggling to grasp something that could give meaning to his life again.

And it had been that desperate quest to find something that could offer a new meaning to his life that had led Sasuke to Naruto.

"Good morning."

Hinata could still recall the moment when Naruto had gone to face Sasuke at Valley of the End, all by himself. She could still _feel_ all emotion that had run through her veins when hours had rolled by without any news…

…And she could still remember what Naruto had said before he had left, after Sakura had begged him to bring Sasuke back…for the two of them to return to her safe and sound…

_Don't worry. We'll both return to Konoha. Wait for us._

Hinata had known at the time that Naruto had been trying to reassure everyone that everything would be alright. However, for her, those words had meant so much more, and she had been forced to restrain herself from blurting out her secret.

'_Naruto-kun, I was always watching you…wanting to overtake you…I just wanted to talk to you…I wanted to be with you… I'm not afraid to die protecting you…' _that was what Hinata had wanted to say back then when she had stood on the sidelines, watching as Naruto promised the impossible to Sakura and to everyone else that could be listening to him.

But instead, Hinata had been forced to stop herself from confessing her secret: _Please, come back to me...I love you…_

"I apologize for the hour."

Hinata snapped from her memories when Sasuke's deep voice echoed through the room, and she felt a lump on her throat when she noticed the way the Uchiha was staring at her. His eyes were so blank…so gloomy and empty of any passion…they were poles apart from Naruto's radiant and vivacious orbs…

"I-It's alright." Hinata answered, mentally wincing at her stutter, and she unconsciously clasped her hands together in front of her legs before she bowed in a welcoming manner, "Neji-nii-san told me you wanted to have a word with me?"

"Yes, I have something to show you." Sasuke answered his voice controlled and deep. His way of speaking was also completely dissimilar from Naruto, who never knew when to speak quietly, and whose voice was always carrying waves of emotions.

Quietly, Sasuke reached out for his pouch, and Hinata felt the lump on her throat enlarge when her eyes fell on a scroll. Almost immediately, the girl felt her heartbeat increase, the palms of her hands growing sweatier as she continued staring at what Sasuke was holding with his right hand.

That was…

"This is the contract." Sasuke said, inadvertently voicing Hinata's thoughts, but the girl did not look away from the scroll as he continued to speak. "I wanted to show this to you before signing it."

That was enough to make Hinata tear her eyes off the contract, and look up, directly at a pair of onyx-black orbs. He had decided to show her the contract before signing it? What for? She had expected for him to sign it in a heartbeat, without bothering to ponder about the consequences of such actions.

He had, after all, informed her father that he was aware that the arranged marriage would bring many positive aspects to the village…

"What do you think of this arrangement?"

"E-Eh?" Hinata stammered, not really expecting such question, but when she noticed that Sasuke was simply staring at her, she swallowed as hard as she could, "I-I… I don't know…what are you…?"

"What do you think of this arrangement?" Sasuke repeated, his voice indicating that he was not going to repeat the question again, and Hinata closed her lips. Thoughts were running at full speed in her mind, and for a second Hinata could swear she was getting lightheaded.

Sasuke was asking _her_ what she thought about the arranged marriage? Had her father not asked her that already?

_"Hina-chan," Hana called out as she put the empty bottle down, next to her things, her back to her friend, "you were about to tell Naruto-kun about the marriage of convenience, weren't you? Right when Lee-san returned?"_

_"H-How did you know?" Hinata asked as she turned to her friend, who looked back at her seconds later, "I-I…yes, I was going to tell him. He…Naruto-kun asked me to go back…to the apartment with him, and I…all I could think about was my father, and…"_

_"Hina-chan, when you tell him about everything…" Hana trailed off, and Hinata stared at her in expectation, "When you tell him about everything, tell yourself you're not doing it because of your father or even because of Sasuke-san. Remember that you're doing it for yourself."_

Hinata froze when Hana's words echoed through her mind…

_Remember that you're doing it for yourself…_

Silently, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan looked at Sasuke again, and noticed that he was staring at her, waiting for her to answer that question.

Had heavens decided to give her another chance?

Was she truly allowed to speak her thoughts?

"I-I…" Hinata started, her mouth growing dry as she struggled to come up with the proper words, "I don't…I mean, I think we…the contract…we shouldn't…"

_Do not disappoint me anymore, Hinata._

The girl visibly cringed when her father's words echoed from the back of her mind. No, she could not think of her father! Sasuke was the one asking what she thought about the arranged marriage not her father and Hinata knew that Sasuke would most likely actually listen to what she had to say.

She had to be strong!

_When you marry Uchiha Sasuke, you will become his wife, and therefore you shall focus solemnly in aiding him to rebuild his Clan." Hiashi started, and Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat. "You will keep a close contact with the Hyuuga Clan, but you shall no longer be the Head of our family. That duty will pass on to Hanabi. That will only be changed if we find you inadequate to become the wife of the Uchiha._

Yes! She had to be strong for her sister…for Naruto…for herself…heck, she had to be strong even for Sasuke because he – just like her – was just a pawn in that plan!

"Sasuke-san," Hinata started as she let her arms fall to her sides, her hands now closed into tight fists, and she took a deep breath as she kept her eyes locked with Sasuke's. "About the arranged marriage, I…I believe we should express our real feelings and sto—"

"I finally found you!" a voice exclaimed all of a sudden, and Hinata widened her eyes in surprise before she looked behind her. Her orbs immediately found another pair of similar pallid eyes, which were blazing with wrath.

"H-Hanabi!"

"What are you doing with him?" the newcomer asked as she continued standing by the open door, but it was then that Hinata saw Hanabi staring at what Sasuke was holding. "Don't tell me you two were about to sign that!"

"Hanabi, it's not—"

"I can't believe you!" Hanabi continued as she looked away from the scroll to look at her older sister, "I honestly believed that you, of all people, knew what this whole thing meant! I cannot believe you're going to accept this without a fight!"

"No, you're wron—"

"Father talked to me yesterday." Hanabi announced, her voice now lowered, and Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat at that declaration. "He told me all about the arranged marriage, and of how I'm going to become the next heiress of our Clan after your wedding."

Regardless of how hard she was trying to breathe, Hinata was already feeling her lungs burning…begging for oxygen.

"At first I was really pissed off, but now I'm disappointed." Hanabi proceeded, her eyes never abandoning her older sister's, "You see, I never really cared about what father used to say about you in the past. I never listened whenever he said you were a disappointment or did I pay attention whenever he said he would disown you for being a weakling, and do you know why?"

Although she did not show it, Hinata knew her heart was going to break next.

"Because I always believed in you," Hanabi confessed as she threw her arms in the air, "I always believed you would be the perfect Head! I knew you would be the kind of person this Clan needed in order to change, but now…now…"

Hinata felt her heart drop when she noticed the way Hanabi's eyes were growing reddish due to her effort of keeping her tears away.

"But now you've become exactly the type of person I hate!" the youngest Hyuuga almost shouted, and Hinata widened her eyes at that, "I never supported your feelings for Naruto, but wasn't his audacity one of the reasons why you liked him? Wasn't your wish of becoming stronger one of the reasons why you trained so hard during those years he was not in the village? Weren't you trying to make him proud?"

By now Hinata could feel her lungs pleading and crying for oxygen, but she tried to ignore all that by keeping her eyes locked with Hanabi's.

"Haven't you noticed that you're becoming what father always said you were?"

For Hinata time froze when that question was asked.

What her father always said she was…what her father always said she was…

_Do not disappoint me anymore, Hinata._

"If you want to be the next Head, and change the whole Hyuuga politics, _you_ have to change first!" Hanabi continued, but Hinata was too focused on what she had said before to even listen. "If you don't then all your training…all your desires…they were all a bunch of lies, and I will never forgive you!"

With those words, Hanabi glared one last time at Sasuke before she turned around, but when she was just about to walk through the door, she looked over her shoulder. Hinata, whose eyes were now locked with the floor, failed to notice her sister's eyes on her, though her ears did catch what Hanabi uttered now.

"If you do this then everyone else will consider you a disappointment, Hinata-nee-chan." the youngest Hyuuga whispered before she looked ahead, "And that includes Naruto."

With those words, Hanabi walked away, leaving a motionless Hinata and a quiet Sasuke behind.

Hinata did not know how much time rolled by ever since Hanabi's footsteps stopped reverberating in the hallway, but the heiress returned back to the present when she heard someone shift from behind her.

Hesitantly, Hinata turned to her side, and watched as Sasuke gave two steps forward, closing their distance. He was still holding the scroll with his right hand, and he looked as if nothing had just happened.

"What do you think of the arranged marriage…Hinata-san?"

For a moment, Hinata did not know what to say. She knew her sister was right; if she accepted to go ahead with the marriage, then she would be unable to do something for her Clan. She would be unable to keep her unspoken promise to Naruto of helping him to do something about the politics that surrounded the Hyuuga Branch Family…

…If she married Sasuke, all of her bonds with the Hyuuga Clan would virtually disappear…

"_D-Did something happen to…Sasuke-kun?"_

"_Ah no, on the contrary, he's finally coming back!" Naruto exclaimed, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat at that statement. "Tsunade-baachan said that he's going to arrive this week, though she doesn't know exactly when. Ah, Sakura-chan was so happy when I told her about it! She really misses him!"_

_At those words, Hinata glanced at him through the corner of her eyes, and noticed how Naruto's smile had diminished a little bit. Apparently, even though all those years had passed, he still had feelings for Sakura as much as Hinata herself still liked him._

"_What…what about you?" Hinata decided to ask, rather timorously, and Naruto blinked at her question as he continued watching her. "I-I mean…I take it that you're happy about it as well…neh?"_

"_Oh yeah, how could I not?" Naruto inquired back, the wide grin back to his face, and Hinata glanced sideways at him before focusing her attention on her hands that were now resting on top of the book. "I mean, after everything we went through…after all the fights and battles, it's good to know that the family is going to be complete again."_

If she accepted to marry Uchiha Sasuke then…then Naruto's family would forever be broken…

"Sasuke-san, I…" Hinata clenched her hands into tight fists as she locked her eyes with the boy's, "I don't think we…I don't think we should…do something we don't like…"

Well, that was not a flat _no_, but it still worked…in a way…

"Really?" Sasuke asked all of a sudden, but there was something in the way he spoke that sent a shiver up Hinata's spine. "Are you saying you do not wish to marry me?"

The heiress of the Hyuuga Clan swallowed hard as she struggled to come up with an acceptable answer. At same time, Hinata did her best to constantly remind herself that her father was not present, and that therefore she should not be afraid of speaking her thoughts.

"I think we…personally, I would prefer not to ma—"

"What impropriety is this?" a male voice asked from behind Hinata, and the girl widened her eyes in horror as she felt another shiver run up her spine. "You two shouldn't be alone together. Despite of the arrangement, it's still not appropriate for the two of you to be alone in a room."

Hesitantly, Hinata looked behind her, and felt dread spring from the pit of her stomach.

"Father…"

* * *

With a sigh, Ino put her report down on the counter before she rested her cheek on her loosened right fist. Blond tresses were falling messily down her ponytail, but the girl ignored it all as she continued dozing into space.

And she would have continued daydreaming if a certain familiar voice had not reached her ears.

"So, what happened? Did you find out you gained one pound or something?"

A sigh escaped from Ino's lips as she felt too exhausted to even think of a retort. Instead, she simply moved her head to her left so that she was now staring at the face of her archenemy. The first thing Ino noticed was the darker shade of green in Sakura's eyes.

"Look whose talking." she finally decided to say, "You don't look any better. What happened? Tried to stalk Sasuke-kun and failed miserably?"

Ino had truly not expected for a nice shade of pink to conquer Sakura's cheeks. However, since she was feeling too drained to make a comment, Ino decided to let it slip, and simply focused her attention on her finished report.

Then, before she could do something to stop it, Ino found herself thinking about a certain plump team mate of hers. For long hours, she had tried to come up with something that could explain what had happened between the two of them, and had failed miserably.

Sure, during her attempts to find an explanation, Ino had been forced to admit to herself that she had not paid much attention to Choji as she should, but still…had he not known she had only been trying to do a good deed?

_Enough, Ino," Choji interrupted her, now in a quieter tone, sadness emerging from the depths of his dark orbs, and the girl went silent. "It's always 'Sasuke-kun this', 'Sasuke-kun that', can't you see I can't take it anymore? At the beginning I tried to understand it. Heck, I even tried to defend you when people warned me about the possibility of you falling for Sasuke again. 'She's only happy for seeing him again' that's what I thought._

He had been right to think she had only been trying to see Sasuke happy again. And Sakura too, despite of the way they acted all the time. So…why? Why had he suddenly decided to end with everything? Why had he not managed to hold on just for a little bit more?

"Ino?" Sakura called out as she put her own reports down, a frown now on her face, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, don't you turn into a goodie two-shoes just because you caught me a little bit disheartened." Ino stated as she straightened up, and Sakura raised an eyebrow, "I don't need your help."

"I never said anything about helping you." Sakura pointed out, "I was simply wondering."

"Well, go wonder some place else." Ino snapped, and without bothering to say something else, the blonde turned around, and made her way towards the closest staircase.

However, as soon as her right foot rested upon the first step of the stairs, Ino stopped moving, her eyes dropping as she thought about Choji again. Although she was not ready to admit it, she missed having him around. She missed his wide smile, his bright personality… Heck, she even missed watching him stuff his face at the barbecue restaurant!

A sigh ended up escaping from Ino's lips as she recalled the last time she had seen Choji, and how he had ended their relationship. True, they had never made it official, and that was exactly why Ino could not understand why it hurt so much. Yes, she held Choji close to her heart, and yes, she had accepted to get together with him because she liked him, but still…to feel this hurt…it could not be just because she liked him…

"This is so troublesome…" Ino heard herself groan, but as soon as her voice reached her ears, she let out a bitter laugh. "Now I'm sounding like Shikamaru. Dear me, I'm too attached to those two idiots…"

"Ino!" a voice called out, and the blonde looked up in direction of the top of the staircase only to see Shizune standing there, waving a hand in the air, "What are you doing? The simulation at the Academy is about to begin! We have to get ready!"

Ino blinked at that; the simulation at the Academy? What simulation at the Academy?

"You didn't forget did you?" Shizune asked still from top of the staircase, but Ino simply continued staring weirdly at her, "The simulation where the students will pretend they're being under attack? We'll have wounded and dead people coming here, remember?"

"Oh!" Ino exclaimed, as her brain worked at full speed, "Yes, the simulation! Of course! I'm coming right up!"

"Great! I want you and Sakura to go to the front doors, and stay there. When the first wounded arrive, separate them accordingly to their injuries!" Shizune instructed, and Ino nodded in understanding. "If you need anything, just call for me. And don't forget; act like this is real!"

"Got it!" Ino exclaimed back before she turned around, and made her way back to where she had last seen Sakura. However, even though her pace was rapid, Ino quickly found herself getting lost in thoughts as she thought about her Team again.

It was clear that Choji was going to do nothing about the current situation, and since she had refused to explain Shikamaru what had happened, Ino guessed everything depended on her. But the thing was…what was she supposed to do?

"Oi, Sakura, we have to go." Ino announced when she spotted the pink haired ninja scribbling something in one of her reports, "The simulation at the Academy is going to start soon, and Shizune-san ordered us to go to the front door. We'll take care of the triage."

"Okay." was all Sakura said as she put the pen down, and turned to the blonde, a smile on her lips. "Make sure you can keep up with my pace, you hear me, Ino-pig?"

Almost instantaneously, Ino felt anger burst from the depths of her core, and she raised a closed fist.

"_You_ try to keep up with _my_ pace, Billboard Brow!"

"We'll see about that!" Sakura exclaimed as she also raised a closed fist, and with two growls, both girls turned their backs to each other. As she kept her back turned to Sakura, Ino felt her irritation dissipate, and her angry facial expression was gradually replaced by a tiny smile.

She knew that Sakura did not know what was going on, but that did not change the fact she was thankful for her attempt to enlighten the mood.

"I'll be in the operating-room." Ino looked to her side at the familiar voice, and blinked when her eyes fell on a brunette, who was talking to another medical-nin, "When the simulation starts, we'll be ready."

Hana…

Reflexively, Ino raised a hand to her cheek, her eyes still locked with the other girl's form. She could swear she could still feel her cheek burning after the abuse it suffered, but at same time the slap Hana had given her had been enough to stop with her self-pity.

Yes…

Still cupping her cheek, Ino narrowed her eyes slightly, still without looking away from Hana, who was now making her way towards the hall that lead to the operating-rooms. She was going to convince Choji to forgive her, and afterwards…well, what happened afterwards only time would tell.

**To Be Continued…**

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**Q:** Ah! Jealous Shikamaru! Now that's a first! But…I guess that means this will end with Shikamaru x Hana, right? Although…umm…Hana _did_ call Lee by using the honorific '-kun'. Oh, now I'm confused…

**A:** Yeah, I think I know why this confusion came to be, but everything will be cleared out in the future. Also, some of you mentioned that since Hana used the honorific '-kun' while addressing to Lee that could only mean that something is going to happen between the two of them. Well, guess what? You'll have to stick out to find out. Sorry!

**Q: **Oh look! You got a boy for Hanabi! That's so cute! Are they dating or something?

**A: **Umm…to answer that or not to answer… Well, I shall say that the idea to add Sadao came from out of the blue. However, I had thought in the past that perhaps it was about time I added some information about Hanabi, especially since the arranged wedding also affects her. Some of you have said that most writers either write Hanabi as being a brat or an adoring sister. I'm trying to give her a proper character; since we don't have much background about her behaviour, I am trying to give her a personality that fits her (in my eyes that is).

Thank you for the attention.


	34. The Inevitable

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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O.M.G!!! 900 reviews! I…I'm speechless! Honestly, I'm…wow, I'm so grateful for your constant support and help! You guys are really awesome, and without you this story most likely would have not gotten so far. Thank you so much for your constant support. I promise I'll do my best to not disappoint you.

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**Chapter 33**

_The Inevitable_

Tsunade carefully walked around her desk, her eyes fixated in a certain object. Crossing her arms against her chest, the woman finally sat down on her chair, her eyes never leaving the open book that had been placed neatly in the middle of her desk.

There was one picture on the left page, while a text had been written down on the right one.

And it was at the picture that Tsunade was staring at.

After a few seconds just sitting on her chair, the Hokage finally uncrossed her arms, and reached out for the photo album with a hand. She silently took in every detail of the photograph, mentally telling herself that Naruto was indeed going to be the spitting image of his father in a few years.

Slowly, Tsunade looked away from the picture, and started reading the text that had been written next to it. She read it carefully; taking in the way every sentence seemed to hold a fragment of the past.

_An ancient proverb says that an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. This is my hope for both of you, and I know you two will be extremely happy together._

The red string of fate…

Finally, Tsunade finished reading the text, her eyes now resting on the signature at the bottom of the page. Frowning, the Godaime moved the album closer to her, her eyes never abandoning the scribbled name…

"Sorano Tanaka…" Tsunade whispered, and she gently started turning the pages of the album until her eyes fell on a picture where Kushina was, sitting on the steps that lead to a dojo, staring at a girl that was playing a _shamisen_, and wearing miko clothing.

Sorano Tanaka…

Abruptly, Tsunade looked behind her, through the windows, and focused her attention on the sky. For a few minutes all she did was look from the sky to the photograph album only to gaze back at the heavens again.

Tsunade remembered hearing something about the miko. She recalled Jiraiya saying that she had been Kushina's best friend, but that she had died protecting the villagers of the Land of Whirlpool. And Tsunade also remembered Jiraiya saying that Kushina had once wanted to ask for Tanaka to be Naruto's godmother.

Widening her eyes in surprise, Tsunade stared down at the album she was still holding with both her hands. She still did not know how Naruto had found the album, but she knew it could have not been by pure coincidence Even if Hinata had used _Byakugan_ to help in the search, the chance of her knowing the secrets of that album were too slim, and then…

…And then there was the meaning of Sorano Tanaka's name…

"Dweller of the sky…" Tsunade whispered as she continued staring at Kushina and Tanaka's picture. Yes, as a miko, Tanaka was considered a priestess, and Tsunade had heard from Jiraiya how everyone from the Land of the Whirlpool considered her as one of the most skilled in some variety of taijutsu and genjutsu. Also, her knowledge about medical procedures and herbs had been quite illustrious as well.

"Dweller of the sky…" Tsunade murmured again, and she tenderly put the album on her desk again before she stood up, and made her way towards the window. Raising her head, she stared at the sky, vaguely noticing the dark clouds that were gradually conquering the once clear heavens. "It can't be…"

Now, Tsunade knew better than to disregard certain things for being almost illogical, but no matter how hard she tried to think of it, it just did not sound achievable. But at same time, it did sound possible. The problem was that Tsunade did not have any idea about how she should approach the subject, especially since she had yet to speak to Naruto.

Suddenly there was a knock, and Tsunade mentally stepped away from all her doubts as she focused her attention on the closed door of her office. She promptly told whoever was outside to enter, and moments later the Hokage was staring at her assistant.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Tsunade-sama, but I wanted to inform you that the simulation has started." Shizune announced, and the Godaime turned fully to her, "Wounded and dead are already being taken to the hospital."

"Thank you, Shizune." Tsunade thanked with a short nod, but when the younger woman bowed, in a silent request to leave, she decided to continue. "Have you heard from Naruto?"

"Naruto-kun?" Shizune repeated, a troubled expression on her face, and then she shook her head, "I'm sorry, but I don't know where he is. With the simulation and Mesi-san…but I could go look for him, if you'd like."

"No, I want you to return to the hospital." Tsunade responded almost immediately, "I will look for Naruto myself. On the meantime, I want you to make sure the simulation goes well. Keep a sharp eye, and if something happens, inform me right away."

"Hai!" Shizune exclaimed before bowing again, and without saying anything else, she left the office. When the door closed, Tsunade crossed her arms loosely underneath her breasts, and stared at the window again, this time noticing the way the grey clouds continued devouring the blue sky.

She really needed to talk to Naruto…

Turning to her desk, Tsunade glanced at the photo album again, and stared at Kushina. That was the least she could do for them…after her conversation with Naruto, Tsunade would step down, and allow for a bright future to finally reach that Land.

"He's going to be the change we have all been waiting for." Tsunade whispered as she turned the pages until her eyes fell on the last picture, "I'll make sure of that."

With that promise, Tsunade raised her head high, and made her way out of the office. Yes, she was going to make sure everybody knew that Naruto would be the best thing that ever happened to Konoha, and afterwards she would finally be free to rest.

* * *

He really had no idea what he could be doing there.

Drops of water had begun to hit his clothing and skin a while ago, but since they were so scarce it was easy to ignore them. Besides, he was too busy trying to comprehend what he was doing in front of the main entrance of the Hyuuga Compound to care about the weather conditions.

He had thought about leaving…he had thought about walking in…he had thought about doing nothing, and simply stay there, but that last option was completely out of the question. He really did not need for people to stare at him, and think that he was some sort of crazy stalker. He already had too many nicknames as it was.

All of a sudden, rain started falling faster and harder, and Naruto heaved a sigh, his shoulders drooping in fatigue. Maybe it would be better if he just left. The chance of someone from the Hyuuga Clan finding him there was too risky, and he really did not want to cause Hinata any trouble.

Hinata…

Suddenly the sound of footsteps started dancing with the melody from the rain, and Naruto stared at the gates in front of him in confusion. Had someone from the Clan spotted him? Or could it be…? Could it be…?

"Hinata?" Naruto called out, but his eyes widened when the person finally revealed himself. Almost instantaneously, Naruto's blue eyes found a pair of onyx-black orbs, and for a second, all thoughts disappeared from the blonde's mind.

What the…?

"Hello dope."

"Sasuke-teme?!" Naruto gasped, his eyes widening in surprise, "What are you doing, coming out from the Hyuuga Compound?"

"I think the correct question would be; what are you doing, standing in front of the Hyuuga Compound?" Sasuke asked back, and Naruto parted his lips to speak only to close his mouth seconds later, "No answer, eh?"

"Bah, it's not as if you answered my question." Naruto responded as he stared at Sasuke in the eye, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit Hinata-san."

For a moment Naruto forgot how to breathe.

Hinata? Sasuke had gone to the Hyuuga Compound to visit Hinata? What for? What sort of business could he have with her?

"Why the hell are you visiting Hinata?" Naruto almost roared, the rain running down his face, "You never talked to her before, and now you're visiting her? What the hell is going on? What did you do to her?"

"Always jumping into conclusions…" Sasuke commented, a smirk on his face, and for a moment Naruto felt the need of punching the smirk out of his face. "However, it's remarkable how you still haven't figured it out. Don't tell me everyone's keeping you in the dark?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto growled, his hands now closed into tight fists, but Sasuke maintained his emotionless mask on his face, "What's going on for you to be visiting Hinata? You guys are not even acquaintances!"

"My, my, they are keeping the great Uzumaki Naruto in the dark." Sasuke taunted, the smirk back to his lips, and Naruto gritted his teeth in anger, "But why don't you go ask Hinata-san about it? She – better than anyone else – will be to tell you everything."

"Sasuke!" Naruto snarled when he saw his friend giving one step forward, his hands closed so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, "If you know what's going on, just tell me damn it!"

"No," Sasuke said, his voice controlled and calm, the rain streaming down his pale complexion, and Naruto narrowed his eyes in anger, "Hinata-san deserves to be the one to tell you about what's going on. After all, I must take her feelings in consideration."

"Her feelings…what?" Naruto asked in confusion, but Sasuke did not say anything else, "Sasuke, did you know that Sakura-chan's worried about you? She told me you're hiding something from us. Does that have anything to do with the fact you're leaving the Hyuuga Compound right now?"

"Like I said, Hinata-san will be the one to answer that question." Sasuke repeated, "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave."

With those words, Sasuke started walking, but when he was just about to walk past Naruto, he stopped. With an emotionless expression on his face, the Uchiha looked at the blond through the corner of his eyes.

"Hinata-san is not inside the Hyuuga Compound. She has left to train."

Without saying anything else, Sasuke started walking again until he disappeared in the rain. Naruto looked behind him, and stared at the heavy rain for a moment before he focused his attention on the front gate of the Hyuuga Compound once more.

What in the world was going on? What was Sasuke doing in the Hyuuga Compound, visiting Hinata of all people? No matter how hard he tried to think of a reason, no answered echoed in his brain. Sasuke's appearance in that place simply made no sense!

And then there was the fact that Sasuke had refused to explain what was going on to him. And what was that about him taking Hinata's feelings in consideration? What on earth was that even supposed to mean?

Ah man, he was really beginning to hate that situation.

Gritting his teeth in anger, Naruto turned his back to the Hyuuga Compound, eyes narrowed in determination. So, if he wanted to figure out what was going on, he was going to have to ask Hinata? Then fine, by all means, he was going to find the Hyuuga heiress and ask her himself. And then he would show Sasuke that no one can simply walk away after making a fool out of him.

Nodding at his determination, Naruto relaxed his hands for a second before he closed them into tight fists again. Then, without even blinking, the blond started running in direction of the training grounds.

* * *

"Would you like to go eat dinner with me?"

That question caught her completely off guard. Widening her eyes in shock, Hana turned her head to her side so fast that she lost her balance, and she would have fallen down the stairs if not for Lee's quick reflexes. Grasping her arm, the young man added, a sheepish smile on his face, "Sorry. Perhaps I should have waited until we were downstairs to ask you that."

Hana said nothing. Instead, she continued staring at Lee with widened eyes, warmth rushing at full speed towards her cheeks. An icy feeling was wrapping around her stomach as she continued observing the boy's embarrassed smile, and for a long time they just stood in the middle of the staircase, gazing at each other in the eye.

"Hana-san?" Lee called out as he finally dropped his hand, and the medical-nin snapped from her trance at his voice. "I know this is abrupt, but I have been thinking about it for a while, and I thought it wouldn't hurt for the two of us to go eat dinner together."

"Lee-kun," Hana slowly started as she straightened up, and the boy quieted down. Then, as she struggled to come up with the proper words, the girl found herself blushing in embarrassment, "Did…did you just ask me to go…out with you?"

"You mean, if I'm asking you to go out on a date with me?" Lee asked back, and Hana hesitated before nodding, her cheeks still carrying a nice shade of pink, "Well, yeah, I guess you can put it that way. It's just that I thought you would like the idea."

"Lee-kun…" Hana repeated, but this time her voice carried a hint of tiredness, "Lee-kun, if you're trying to do what I think you're trying to do...well, I really appreciate it, but I don't think it will work."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked, "It's just a dinner, and besides, even though we may consider this as a date, it doesn't necessarily mean we'll have to go out afterwards. Think of this as a rehearsal."

"I don't think we should do it." Hana confessed, none of them noticing that they were still standing in the middle of the stairs, "I mean…I'm really flattered you asked me, but…I don't know, if this doesn't work, things can become weird, and I really don't want that."

"It's not like I'm expecting you to use me as your rebound guy or something." Lee stated all of a sudden, and Hana blushed ten shades of red at his words. "And I swear I'm not asking you to go out with me just because Sakura-san doesn't want anything to do with me. The reason why I asked you this is because I really think we understand each other, and because I think that something can…well, happen."

"What if it doesn't?" Hana asked after a short pause, and Lee shrugged.

"Life goes on. I promise I won't let this ruin our friendship." he responded, "C'mon Hana-san, let's just try this once. I know you still like Shikamaru-kun, just like I still have feelings for Sakura-san, but…what do you say?"

"I can't, I'm sorry." Hana finally replied as she started climbing down the stairs, and Lee quickly went after her. "I am really thankful for what you're trying to do, but I really don't want to damage our friendship. I just…I don't want to risk it."

"So, what if we go out as friends?" Lee inquired, and when Hana turned to him, ready to reply, he continued. "Two friends can very well go eat dinner together without having second intentions. And despite of everything I said up until now, I don't mind going out with you just as a friend."

"Lee-kun," Hana started as soon as she reached the first floor, and the boy watched as she turned to him. "Please, be honest. Do you really think it would be good for the two of us to go out on a date with the intention of finding out if we'd work well as a couple when we're still interested in other people?"

"Well, if you put it that way, the answer has to be no, bu—"

"And since this is us we're talking about, I'm sure we'd end up talking about Sakura-san and Shikamaru-san the whole time." Hana continued before she chewed on her lower lip for a second, "Lee-kun, understand, I love you, but as a friend. Your friendship means a lot to me, and I don't want to do anything that can break it."

"Well, I don't want to cause our friendship any sort of damage either." Lee started after a few seconds, "But still, let me take you out for dinner. I am worried about you. Even if you smile, and tell me everything's okay, I know you're suffering on the inside."

"Oh Lee-kun, you really don't know when to give up." Hana giggled, her cheeks now carrying a weak pink hue, and once again Lee smiled sheepishly at her, "But fine, I guess you won't stop until I accept. If it's only as friends, I don't mind going with you. However, you have to wait until the end of my shift. With the simulation still going on, it's been complicated to take care of the real patients."

"Not a problem. I was thinking about going to practice for a while anyway. Besides, it's still early." Lee answered, and Hana smiled faintly at him, "Sorry for being so pushy about this matter, but I really can't help but worry about you. Shikamaru-kun is an idiot for not noticing your feelings."

"You're wrong." Hana immediately interjected, the sparkle in her eyes dimming a bit as she continued speaking. "Shikamaru-san is no idiot. He simply never thought of me that way, and quite frankly I can't blame him. We are friends, which is why he never had any reasons to even ponder about the possibility of me liking him as something more than just a friend."

"Well, you sure do a good job hiding your feelings." Lee pointed out, and Hana looked away. "But I still think you should tell him. I still think he has the right to know, regardless if he'll like you back or not. And it would be good for you to tell him too; I think you'd feel lighter afterwards."

"I guess in that sense I'm not like you, Lee-kun." Hana said with a small shrug, "I'm not planning on telling him, so I must tell you not to think that will happen. Besides, knowing Shikamaru-san as I do, he'll probably just end up feeling guilty, and then he would feel obligated to tell Choji, and if that ended up happening, things would end up getting weird between all of us."

"You sure have planned all this, eh?" Lee inquired as he raised both his eyebrows in mild surprise, but Hana simply shrugged in return. "But fine, I'll come to pick you up after your shift. Until then, think about where you want to go. I will make sure you have a nice time."

"Silly," Hana giggled before she raised a hand, and waved in goodbye. Waving back, Lee turned to his side before he made his way towards the closest stairs. It was only when he disappeared down the stairs that Hana dropped her hand, her faint smile gradually vanishing until a sad frown conquered her face.

Sighing, the brunette turned around only to jump slightly in surprise when her eyes met a pair of dark teal orbs. For a long moment the two women just stood quiet, their eyes locked, but that changed when Temari crossed her arms against her chest.

"I've been looking for you for quite some time now." Temari commented all of a sudden, and Hana blinked at her straightforwardness, "The Yamanaka girl was the one who told me where you were. Are you busy?"

"I have a few patients I need to go check." Hana answered after a few seconds, and she chewed on her lower lip for a moment in nervousness. "But if you walk with me, we can talk."

"All right," was all Temari said as a reply, and the medical-nin nodded promptly in understanding before she started walking. The ninja from Sunagakure quickly appeared next to her, and Hana did her best not to show any of her apprehension as she spoke.

"So…did something happen?"

"Not yet." Temari responded as she glanced sideways at the medical-nin, who glanced back at her through the corner of her eyes as well. "But it may happen in a close future. It will all depend of you, really."

Hana felt her heart skip a beat at that statement, and she slowly turned her head so that she could look at Temari. The other ninja mimicked her actions, but for a few minutes none of them spoke. All they did was walk until Hana decided to force herself to speak.

"What do you mean it all depends on me?" she questioned, feeling a lump form in her throat as uneasiness sprung from the pit of her stomach. "Do you need anything?"

"I am planning on asking the sloth to go out with me." Temari replied in a nonchalant way, and Hana felt the lump on her throat grow wider as it became difficult for her to breath. Her heart was compressing so hard that for a second the girl wondered if her eyes were tearing up. "And if things go well, we may end up together."

The way Temari was speaking came out as a surprise for Hana, and yet at same time it did not amaze her at all. The female from Sunagakure was speaking in a strong voice, her words revealing how confident she was about her ending up together with Shikamaru. Temari's behaviour made Hana believe that there was indeed nothing she would be capable of doing that could change what was to happen.

"I…" Hana swallowed hard as she tried to get rid of the lump that was still on her throat at same time she struggled to keep her tranquil façade on. "I fail to see what…you and Shikamaru-san going out has to do with me."

"I doubt the sloth would ever do something without telling you first." Temari pointed out immediately, almost as if she had been expecting that reaction. Then, she crossed her arms against her chest, "I am not telling you this because I need your blessing or something along those lines. I am telling you this because I know you care for him."

Care? Heavens, her feelings grew so much deeper than that…

"Well, Shikamaru-san is one of my best friends." Hana started, hoping she would not end up saying something incredibly stupid. "And I think it's not uncommon to hear someone say they want their friends to be happy."

"Does that mean you don't mind if we start going out?" Temari stopped walking as soon as she asked that, and Hana stopped dead on her tracks as well. For a couple of seconds, the medical-nin kept staring at her feet before she raised her orbs to stare at the other young woman. Then, as she did her best to ignore the way her heart was tightening on her chest almost to the point of making her want to cry, Hana forced herself to smile.

"I want Shikamaru-san to be happy." she declared, but Temari did not even blink at that statement. "And I know you're the only one who can do that."

**To Be Continued…**


	35. The Holder of the Truth

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

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Hello everyone, it's been a while has it not? Oh, I am so sorry for taking such a long time to update Welcome Home. I can only hope you will forgive me. The main reason why it took me so long has to do with the fact I was forced to re-write this chapter at least four times. I just did not like the way I was writing it. Secondly, work is kind of taking a lot of my time. I am doing my best, though, to start working on the next chapter as soon as possible.

Once again, I apologize for everything, and even though I am still a little reluctant about this chapter, I am keeping my fingers crossed. I do hope everyone enjoys this, especially all Naruto x Hinata fans.

All in all, I want to finish this by thanking everyone who has been following this story. I am sorry for dragging the plot for so long. Thank you for your constant support.

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**Chapter 34**

_The Holder of the Truth_

It seemed that the more she swirled around, the faster thoughts consumed her mind while memories appeared to be feasting on her flesh and bones. It looked as if the harder she tried to focus on her training, the stronger her feelings grew, and more confused she became.

_Tsunade-baachan said that he's going to arrive this week, though she doesn't know exactly when. Ah, Sakura-chan was so happy when I told her about it! She really misses him!_

Swirling, Hinata moved her arms above her head, struggling to follow the flow of the rain instead of the current of her thoughts. Her eyebrows were puckered in concentration, her eyes closed to reality as the girl struggled to focus all of her senses in the tune of the downpour.

She had to get away from all of her thoughts… She had to run away from her doubts… She had to…she had to…

_Also, the marriage will take place next year. Uchiha Sasuke has already turned eighteen, but we must wait until December 27__th__, the day when you'll turn eighteen as well._

Her birthday…heavens, that was less than four months away. She truly ought to do something…to say anything that could either cancel or postpone the wedding, but the question was: what? Her father, albeit the one she should talk to, was the one who was not going to pay any attention to her.

And then there was Sasuke. Now he had caught her by surprise. Hinata had never expected for him to actually come look for her, and ask her what she thought about the whole ordeal. However, she wondered if he would give her another chance to speak her mind if she asked him to. The problem was that since Hinata did not know him at all, she could not even try to visualize how he would behave after hearing her request.

_Hina-chan, when you tell him about everything…When you tell him about everything, tell yourself you're not doing it because of your father or even because of Sasuke-san. Remember that you're doing it for yourself._

Hinata stopped swirling when Hana's voice echoed through her mind.

Yes, there was always that option, but to tell Naruto…even though she knew that would probably be the smartest decision to make, Hinata could not shrug off the feeling that telling him about everything would also be the stupidest choice to make.

Opening her eyes, Hinata let out a breath before she raised her head upwards, and tried to look at the sky despite of the heavy rain.

She wanted to tell him so badly, and yet her insecurity was eating her.

Heavens, when had she become so weak?

Unhurriedly, Hinata raised her arms to her sides while keeping her hands closed in loosely fists, and started twirling around. Her long and wet tresses followed her movements in perfect synchronization, and it did not take long until the girl closed her eyes again.

_Thank you for always being next to me, Hinata._

The Hyuuga heiress almost stumbled on her own feet when Naruto's voice echoed through her mind. Snapping her eyes open in shock, the girl dropped her arms immediately, all of her attention focused on the raindrops.

What on earth was she doing?

Looking down, Hinata stared at her drenched clothing, vaguely noticing that she had stripped off her heavy coat a long time ago. Yes, what had happened to her? Why on earth was she so frightened?

_I always believed you would be the perfect Head! I knew you would be the kind of person this Clan needed in order to change, but now…now…_

Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat when her sister's voice emerged from the depths of her memories.

_But now you've become exactly the type of person I hate! I never supported your feelings for Naruto, but wasn't his audacity one of the reasons why you liked him? Wasn't your wish of becoming stronger one of the reasons why you trained so hard during those years he was not in the village? Weren't you trying to make him proud?_

Hanabi had been right at the time. She had done her best during all those years because she wanted to make Naruto proud. She had tried her hardest in missions and training because she did not want to be the only one left behind…

…Because she wanted to have what it took to follow Naruto everywhere…

And yet there she was, behaving like a pitiful and lost child…

_Haven't you noticed that you're becoming what father always said you were?_

Hinata felt her heartbeat gradually increase as adrenaline started licking her veins, and consuming her flesh. Before she knew what she was doing, Hinata started glancing everywhere, thoughts and memories overriding all of her senses until all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat and the voices of her friends and family.

_If you want to be the next Head, and change the whole Hyuuga politics, you have to change first! If you don't then all your training…all your desires…they were all a bunch of lies, and I will never forgive you!_

Hanabi had been right. What was the point in her saying that she wanted to help changing the Hyuuga politics when she refused to change herself? What was the point in her training if she did not show any improvement?

What was the point in promising to help others when she could not even help herself?

_If you do this then everyone else will consider you a disappointment, Hinata-nee-chan. And that includes Naruto._

Yes, if she did not change then…then she would not only be considered a disappointment by her father, but by everyone…by her own sister, by her own cousin, by her team mates…

…By Naruto…

_I see you have received the contract. I assume you shall sign it shortly. The preparations for the wedding shall take place as soon as both of you sign the papers._

Unconsciously, Hinata closed her hands into tight fists, her eyes now locked with her feet. No. For everyone's sake she could not let her father's will prevail. For everyone's future, including her own, she was going to stick her chest out and raise her head high…

For everyone's freedom she was going to do what she had always wanted to do…

…She was going to follow Naruto's footsteps...

…She was going to give Naruto reasons for him to be proud of her…

"Believe it…" Hinata whispered to herself as she continued staring at her feet. Then, as she clenched her hands into tighter fists, the girl gradually started raising her head, her eyes now narrowed in determination.

The first thing she was going to do was to finish her conversation with Sasuke, and then…

"Oi!"

Hinata widened her eyes in surprise at the sudden shout, and she promptly looked behind her. Despite of the falling rain, it was not hard for her to spot the orange blur that was rushing towards her, a hand stuck in the air.

"Hinata!"

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata breathed out as she continued staring at the male, her eyes still widened in shock. What on earth could he be doing there? How had he managed to find her?

"Hey!" Naruto exclaimed when he finally reached her, and Hinata watched as he pressed his hands against his knees, rain streaming down his face. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"For me?" Hinata asked as she pointed at herself, and Naruto nodded before he straightened up. It was when their eyes met, that Hinata vaguely noticed that the rainfall had diminished to some extent. "D-Did something happen?"

"Yeah, I have to say it did." Naruto started, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat at his tired tone. There was something in his voice…something unsettling… "You see, I was…standing by the front gates of the Hyuuga Compound a while ago, and I…" Naruto paused, and Hinata felt nervousness spring from the pit of her stomach, "And I met Sasuke-teme."

Now that did not sound promising…

"You know I wouldn't give it a damn if we had been in other circumstances, but the thing is…" once again, Naruto paused for a second, and Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat as she waited for him to continue, "I met Sasuke-teme when he was leaving the Hyuuga Compound."

Oh no…

"And I found that weird, so I asked him what he was doing there." Naruto continued, completely oblivious of the turmoil that had conquered Hinata's mind, "The idiot refused to tell me. He just said that he had gone to meet you, but that can't be right, can it? I mean, you guys aren't even friends!"

Hinata looked down at those words, and she did not even try to stop herself from fidgeting.

"Unless you guys have been pretending all these years, but…that's not right, is it?" Naruto pressed the matter, and Hinata closed her eyes as he continued, "So…do you think you can tell me why Sasuke visited you? I mean, when I asked him, he told me he had to take your feelings in consideration, and that I should ask you."

"Sasuke-san…said that?" Hinata inquired as she slowly raised her head, and she felt a shiver run up her spine when Naruto nodded in reply. "I…we…"

"Say, is there something going on between the two of you?" Naruto interrupted her before he tapped a finger against his chin, "Wait, that can't be either. I mean, I would've noticed if something was going on. You would never be interested in him."

Despite of everything, Hinata could not help but blush faintly at his comment.

"A-Ah, no, I am not…interested in Sasuke-san…" the Hyuuga managed to utter, her cheeks still carrying a nice shade of pink, and she heard Naruto breath out in relief. "Y-You don't have to worry about…that sort of thing…"

"Of course I'm not going to worry. It's not as if I was going to let Sasuke-teme have you for himself." Naruto pointed out, and this time Hinata blushed ten shades of red. Shyly, she looked at the blond only to notice that he had not noticed the way his comment had come out. "So, anyway, are you going to tell me what's been going on or what?

The world appeared to stop when those words reached the Hyuuga heiress' ears.

That was it.

That was the opportunity she had been waiting for.

And no matter how hurtful…no matter how agonizing it would be, Hinata knew that this time she could not run away from the topic.

There was no way out, but even if there was, this time, Hinata refused to walk away.

"W-Well…" the girl started, pausing when she heard herself stutter, and she unconsciously closed her hands into fists. No, she was going to do this properly, without vacillating. Taking a deep breath in, Hinata raised her head, and stared at Naruto in the eye, "It's a very long story."

"Okay…"

A cold breeze blew suddenly, and Hinata vaguely noticed that it was no longer raining. In an attempt to try to ignore the shiver that run up her spine, the girl managed to stare at Naruto in the eye, and not break the eye-contact.

"You…remember the time we spent at the apartment?" Hinata decided to ask, thoughts running through her mind as she struggled to come up with the right explanation. Naruto, on the other hand, simply nodded in reply. "I…I never had the chance to tell you why I was there."

"Oh, that's right!" Naruto exclaimed all of a sudden, "I never asked you about it!"

"Yes, well, the reason was…"

Once again, Hinata paused. If she finished that sentence…no, _when_ she finished that sentence, everything would change. She was aware of that. But Hinata was also conscious that she could no longer keep everything hidden from Naruto; Sasuke had, after all, given her the chance to be the one telling Naruto about everything.

She could not possibly run away from that opportunity.

"Hinata?" Naruto called out when he noticed the girl was staring into space, and he titled his head to the side in confusion. At her name, the Hyuuga snapped from her thoughts, her eyes finding Naruto's almost immediately. "Why were you at the apartment?"

Clenching her hands into tighter fists, Hinata took another deep breath in, and parted her lips.

"It was because I needed to run away," she started to explain at same time she was struggling internally to not show her nervousness, and Naruto blinked at that, "You see, Naruto-kun, my father…my father wants me to do something I do not agree with, and…at the time I didn't know what to do so I…I asked Neji-nii-san to help me, and…"

"You ran away from home?" Naruto interrupted her all of a sudden, and Hinata stared at him for a moment before nodding, though a tad hesitantly, "Wow, I never thought you had it in you! But…why did you run away? What did your father want you to do?"

'_Heavens above'_, Hinata quickly thought, _'give me the words I need.'_

"It has to do with…" once more, the Hyuuga heiress paused, and licked her lips in uneasiness.

It was time to put an end to that turmoil.

"It has to do with Sasuke-san and I…" Hinata decided to say, and Naruto titled his head to the side again, "You see, Naruto-kun, my father…a long time ago, the Hyuuga Clan found a scroll…something my father considered to be a prophecy that spoke of two Clans from Konohagakure."

Naruto simply nodded lightly at that, and Hinata swallowed hard only to notice for the first time that her mouth had gone dry. Clearing her throat in discomfort, the girl decided to proceed with her explanation.

"And according to my father, the two Clans mentioned on that scroll are the Hyuuga Clan and…the Uchiha Clan." Hinata uttered the second Clan's name after a few seconds, and Naruto blinked at that, "Because both are extremely influential Clans."

"I guess that explains what Sasuke was doing at your house." Naruto stated all of a sudden, and Hinata felt her breath get stuck on her throat, "But…that doesn't really explain why Sasuke went to see you of all people."

"Yes…" Hinata agreed as she dropped her gaze, and once again she licked her lips. There was going to be no more running. She was going to raise her head high, and tell the truth. "You see, Naruto-kun….the information in the scroll had to do with two members of both Clans."

Once more, Naruto nodded in silent understanding, and Hinata waited for a few seconds before continuing.

"It has to do with me, and according to my father the other person should be Itachi-san."

"Itachi?!" Naruto repeated, and Hinata widened her eyes slightly in surprise at her outburst. "What the hell? What does he have to do with anything?"

"No, you don't understand!" Hinata exclaimed, her voice raising a little bit in distress at same time she raised her hands up, and Naruto immediately calmed down, "Since Itachi-san passed away, my Clan came to realize that instead of him, the scroll was talking about Sasuke-san."

"What does the scroll say?" Naruto inquired, and Hinata looked down before she could stop herself from doing so, "Hinata, what does the scroll say?"

"The scroll…" Hinata closed her eyes when she heard her voice quivering as words escaped from her lips.

That was it.

The moment to break the family portrait had finally arrived.

"The scroll speaks of a marriage of convenience." Hinata finally confessed, as she timidly raised her orbs to stare at Naruto's face, "The scroll is a contract between my family and Sasuke-san's. It speaks of an arranged marriage between the two families, which was prepared many years ago."

"Then that means that…" Naruto paused, and Hinata noticed the way her heart was now racing, beating furiously against her rib cage. It was only after a long moment in silence that the blond widened his eyes in realization, and stared at Hinata, "You and Sasuke…"

"Yes," Hinata answered, not wanting him to finish that sentence, and she instinctively clasped her hands together, "Sasuke-san and I…the scroll speaks of our marriage of convenience… That was why he…went to visit me today…"

Never had such silence been so still…so haunting…so debilitating…

Never had Naruto been so silent…so motionless…so pensive…

It was irritating in a way, but Hinata was far too preoccupied with Naruto's reaction to think of anything else. Even her eyes had ended wandering towards his face only to notice that Naruto had dropped his head.

It was a matter of seconds now…for the bomb to explode…

"You…" Hinata inwardly winced at the way Naruto hissed that single word. Since his head was still down it was impossible for her to read his expression, but that word…that lonely word had been enough to reveal that he was irritated.

"Naruto-kun, I didn't—"

"Why did you keep quiet all this time?" Naruto practically shouted, and Hinata gave one small step backwards in both surprise and shock. His eyes…they were blazing with such anger, "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"I-I…I didn't know how to…" Hinata struggled to explain, anxiety erupting from the pit of her stomach once more. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, but I—"

"And that bastard!" Naruto exclaimed, and once again Hinata jumped faintly at the rage that was emanating from his voice, "What the hell is he thinking? And to think he didn't want to tell me about this!"

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata started, but it was also then that the blond turned his back to her. His action worked as a sting against the girl's chest, but Hinata did her best to overlook that sudden pain. "Are you…are you mad?"

"Tell me something, Hinata." Naruto started, behaving as if he had not heard the question, and the girl unconsciously pressed a fist against her chest. Slowly, Naruto turned his head to the side, but still refused to make eye-contact. "Are you happy with this arrangement?"

Another, deeper sting against her heart and for a second Hinata even forgot how to breathe.

"No!" she exclaimed, surprised by how loud her voice came out, and then she shook her head, "No, I-I… Sasuke-san and I didn't know about this. My father…he was the one who told us about it, and we…we thought we didn't have a choice."

"And why didn't you tell me before, Hinata?" Naruto asked, still without making eye-contact, and Hinata dropped her gaze for a moment. "You had plenty of opportunities. We were even flatmates, and yet you lived everyday as if nothing was wrong."

"That's not true!" Hinata immediately retorted, and once again she shook her head, "I wanted to tell you….I really did, but I just…couldn't bring myself to do it. Sasuke-san…Sasuke-san is part of your family, is he not? And Sakura-san? How could I…? What right did I have to…break your family portrait?"

As soon as the last words left her lips, Hinata looked down, and noticed that her vision was slowly getting blurry. Quickly, she raised both her hands, and run her fingers through her cheeks; she refused to cry in front of Naruto. She repudiated the idea of showing him her tears.

"My family portrait?" Naruto repeated, his voice coming out above a whisper, and Hinata nodded albeit the fact that the boy could not really see it. "So…you kept this all a secret because…you didn't want to hurt me?"

Another nod and Naruto eventually let out a sigh.

"That must have hurt you a lot."

Hinata raised her head, surprised by such comment, and she felt all oxygen abandon her lungs when her pallid orbs met a pair of azure ones. He was staring at her over his shoulder, and although his observation had come out softly, his eyes were blazing with anger.

"Don't worry, Hinata, I'm going to fix this."

"What…What are you going to do?" Hinata asked, although to be honest all she wanted was to know if he was angry at her. "Naruto-kun, you—"

"You don't want to marry Sasuke, do you?" Naruto inquired all of a sudden, but before Hinata had the time to answer, he continued, "And I sure as heck don't want him to marry you."

Such observation was enough to make Hinata's heart skip a beat.

"So, I'm going to fix this." Naruto continued, his voice now carrying the determination Hinata had grown to love, "I don't know what I'm going to do exactly, but I'm going to stop this. You said your father started all this?"

"Naruto-kun, you cannot—"

"I'm not going to talk to your father," Naruto promptly pointed out, "Not yet anyway, I know he won't listen to me, but I promise you, I'll do everything within my power to stop all this."

"I…Naruto-kun, I'm sorry." Hinata apologized as she looked down, hands clasped in front of her legs, and then she heard the sound of footsteps. For a moment she wondered if Naruto had walked away, but when she was just about to look up, two feet appeared in front of her own.

Confusedly, the Hyuuga heiress started raising her head, but before she could stare at Naruto in the eye, two arms wrapped around her torso. As her eyes widened in shock, Hinata felt Naruto pulling her gently towards him, his head now resting on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry too," he murmured, but Hinata was too shocked to even return the hug, "For not noticing that something was troubling you. To help you with this…that's the least I can do after everything you did for me."

"Naruto-kun, I…" it was then that Hinata noticed she had yet to wrap her arms around Naruto, but before she could even think about raising her arms, the blond stepped backwards. "I'm really sorry. I know I should have told you sooner, and I wanted to, but…but every time I thought about it…your family…"

One finger was gently pressed against her lips, and Hinata stopped talking immediately. When her eyes met Naruto's, she was taken by surprise when he suddenly smiled faintly at her.

"What do you say if we take care of this together?" he asked unexpectedly, and Hinata blinked at his invitation. "You and me; I'm sure that together we'll find a way to stop all this. We can even tell Sasuke to join us. Oh, and we can talk to Sakura-chan as well."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata started, but it was then that she felt Naruto reaching out for her hands. So, that was it? There was no shouting, no tears, and no hate? There was only understanding and promises to make everything better?

To say she was stunned was the understatement of the year.

"What do you say about that, Hinata?" Naruto asked, "After all, if you think about it, in a way you make part of the family portrait too so I want you to be happy too!"

This time, Hinata found it impossible not to blush ten shades of red.

"O-Okay…" she managed to utter despite of her embarrassment, and Naruto grinned at her. "Let's do this…together."

"Yeah, and you'll see, we'll end this in no time!" Naruto exclaimed, sounding surprisingly cheerful, and for a moment Hinata wondered if he was behaving like that for her sake. When he started pulling her forward, however, the girl decided to push that thought to the back of her mind.

Besides, he was right. Perhaps together they would be able to do something about the arranged marriage…

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Naruto exclaimed as they continued walking, his fingers still entwined with Hinata's, and the girl stared at him, "I kind of saw you dancing in the rain, and…well, I have to ask; Hinata, are you by any chance the goddess I saw when we were going to the Land of Whirlpool?"

Oh no…

**To Be Continued…**


	36. The Strength Within

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am speechless. I am truly, utterly speechless. I mean have you looked at _that_?! (points at her reviews) I stay away from internet for a few days, and when I return I almost have a heart attack! O.M.G! I'm so…I'm so happy! I mean, 'happy' isn't enough to describe my feelings, but still…O.M.G! _1000_ _reviews!_

Honestly, it is not the number itself that matters, but the significance of such number. For me, to be able to reach 1000 reviews means that everyone is really enjoying this story. The number means that my effort to write this is more than worth it… (laughs) and to think I decided to write this story on a whim, without really knowing if I'd be able to continue it.

Really, you guys are so awesome! All of you have been so supportive, so sincere…your encouragement truly helped me to go on. I know I say this all the time, but I really mean it…I always do.

Also, I promise you I will finish this. I have already done my math, and I already know how many chapters I have left until the end of this story. I can already tell you I have one filler left to write, and that I have already started planning a sequel! I'm not sure I'll keep up with it, but still, my muses sure are doing their best to help me finish Welcome Home.

So, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I know this sounds like it's a small thanks, but it does carry all the feelings I'm unable to portray with words. So, once again: muito obrigada (thank you very much).

I will do my best not to disappoint you now, as we gradually approach the ending of the biggest story I've ever written.

* * *

**Chapter 35**

_The Strength Within_

Naruto unhurriedly made his way through the street, hands stuck inside his pants pockets. In his face was a frown, his eyebrows puckered in thought while his lips would sporadically form a pout as thoughts continued running through his mind.

He really could not believe in what he had said. To think he had told Hinata that he was going to help her out when he clearly had no idea about what he should do. Man, he could be such an idiot sometimes. However, the truth was that he had been honest when he had said that he wanted to help her out.

He truly did not fancy the idea of Hinata marrying Sasuke of all people. Not only that, but he believed that what Hiashi was doing was simply despicable.

Calmly, Naruto stopped walking, his azure orbs gazing upwards at the cloudy heavens. And then there was the fact that Hinata had decided to stay quiet about the whole ordeal. And to think that she had not told him because she had been worried about him! Naruto really did not know how to behave towards that; after all, no one had ever showed such concern about him like Hinata did.

And although he refused to confess it out loud, the truth was that Naruto could not help but feel all fuzzy on the inside whenever he recalled the Hyuuga heiress.

Shaking his head, Naruto tried to clear his mind, and started walking again.

That was definitely not the time for him to muse about the butterflies that appeared inside his stomach whenever he thought or talked to Hinata. No, that was the time for him to think about what he should do to help his friends escaping from the horrible fate Hiashi seemed to have established for them.

However, that was not the only thing Naruto had to focus his attention on. After all, there was someone else who deserved to know what was going on. The problem was that Naruto had no idea of how he should approach the subject.

A sigh eventually abandoned Naruto's lips, and it did not take long until the boy was finally facing Konoha's hospital.

Now it was only a matter of time until Sakura came out, and then he would take the chance to approach her. Or at least that was his plan. But curiously Naruto could not image how Sakura would behave towards the news.

Dropping his head, Naruto pictured his pink haired friend in his mind, and took a deep breath. She would most likely get angry, and then storm out in search for Sasuke, most likely to ask him about if the arranged marriage was true.

Snorting at his imaginary, Naruto raised his head again, and stared at the closed doors of the hospital. It was curious, but although in the past he would have abhorred the idea of Sakura leaving him to go search for Sasuke, this time, he was feeling quite calm about it. In fact, the idea of Hinata marrying Sasuke made him feel sicker than anything else.

"Naruto?" a voice called out from out of the blue, and the young man looked behind his shoulder. Surprisingly, there stood Sakura, holding three books with both her hands, a confused expression on her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise at same time he turned around so that he was facing his friend, "I was actually waiting for you to leave the hospital."

"Did something happen?" Sakura inquired as she raised an eyebrow at same time she moved closer to the boy, who looked down almost immediately. "Naruto did something happen to Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah, Sasuke-teme, err…no, he's fine." Naruto said, but when Sakura did not lower her eyebrow, he swallowed hard. Then, he unconsciously pressed a hand against the back of his head, "Say, Sakura-chan, is your shift going to take long? I kind of need to have a serious conversation with you."

"Naruto, what happened?" Sakura asked, this time in a slower tone, and the boy shook his head.

"I don't want to tell you know." he declared, "I will wait until your shift is over. Then, we'll go to Ichiraku, and then I'll tell you everything."

"Oh no, you started, so now you're going to finish it." Sakura interjected, and Naruto had to stop himself from sighing at her determination. "I'm sure they'll be fine without me for a couple of minutes."

"Fine, then…" Naruto looked around until he spotted a vacant stoned bench not too far from the hospital's entrance. "C'mon, let's sit down, and then I'll explain everything to you."

Although it was obvious she was still confused about what was going on, Sakura eventually nodded in agreement. During the short walk towards the bench, Naruto tried to think of the proper words to utter; if he was too abrupt, Sakura would most likely have a heart-attack, but if he took too much time to explain everything, Sakura would in all probability smack him due to her impatience.

All in all, if he opted for one of the extremes, then he would be doomed.

"So, now can you tell me what's going on?" Sakura asked after she sat down on the bench, and put the books she had been holding on her lap. "Be honest with me; does it have anything to do with Sasuke-kun?"

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto started in a rather calm and controlled tone, and the girl turned her head so that she could look directly at him. Naruto, on the other hand, waited a few seconds before he decided to look at her in the eye, "Yes, what I have to tell you has to do with Sasuke."

"What happened? Did Tsunade-sensei finally decide to believe in him? Is the ANBU team leaving?" Sakura immediately started asking, but all Naruto did was shake his head before he raised a hand slightly in the air.

"Please, let me finish." he requested, and Sakura went silent, "Like I was saying, what I have to tell you has to do with Sasuke and…" Naruto paused for a couple of seconds, and Sakura titled her head slightly to the side, "And with Hinata."

"Hinata-san?" Sakura repeated as she blinked in confusion, and once again Naruto waited a few seconds before he nodded, "I don't understand. What can possibly be going on that has to do with the two of them? If I remember correctly they are not even acquaintances."

"Sakura-chan," Naruto interrupted the girl's ramble, a sense of exasperation in his voice, and his friend immediately quieted down. "Listen, this is not going to be easy for you to take in, and I was really trying to find a way to tell you about this without being rude, but…I can't."

"Naruto, you're scaring me." Sakura confessed, and Naruto rested his arms on his legs before he clasped his hands together. "What on earth is going on?"

Slowly, Naruto looked at Sakura, and observed the way her eyes were reflecting the fretfulness she was indubitably feeling within. She was truly worried about Sasuke, and curiously enough that did not trouble him at all. Not when he was extremely concerned about Hinata as well.

"What's going on between Sasuke and Hinata is…" Naruto locked his eyes with Sakura, and mentally took in the way her breath got stuck on her throat in nervousness, "If we don't do anything to stop it, they will get married soon."

* * *

Hinata unconsciously crossed her arms against her chest as she kept glancing around. Thankfully her heartbeat had already returned to normal, and uneasiness was the last thing flourishing in the pit of her stomach. Instead, every time she recalled her conversation with Naruto, the Hyuuga would feel herself being immersed by an amazing feeling of peacefulness.

The fact she had finally been able to be honest with Naruto had taken the awful weight she had been carrying off her shoulders. And she truly could not feel any better than she was at the moment.

Of course there had been that moment when Naruto had asked if she was his goddess, but even then Hinata had managed to keep her posture…well, most of it. At least, she had not fainted on the spot. Instead, she had simply shaken her head in reply before Naruto decided to drop the subject by shrugging in a nonchalant way.

Shaking her head, Hinata did her best to keep focused in the task at hand. After their talk, it had been determined that Naruto would go talk to Sakura basically because both of them knew she deserved to know what was going on. Hinata, on the other hand, would go talk to her best friend.

The problem was that Hinata had no idea where Hana could be.

As she continued strolling through the streets of Konoha, Hinata kept glancing around, trying to spot her brown haired friend. During her search, she had found Neji and Tenten, on their way towards the training grounds.

Hinata had actually thought about approaching her cousin then, and tell him about what had happened, but she had quickly decided again. Although she had never spoken to Neji about personal things, Hinata knew that Neji and Tenten enjoyed spending time together. And who was she to stop them from being together for a while?

"Hina-chan?"

Blinking, the Hyuuga heiress looked behind her shoulder only to see Hana walking out of a sushi restaurant. Turning to her side, Hinata parted her lips to speak, but stopped herself when Lee appeared behind her friend.

What the…?

"Hina-chan, what are you doing here?" Hana inquired as she made her way towards her friend, but all Hinata did was to look away from Lee to gaze at the medical-nin, "Did something happen?"

"I…" Hinata started to say before she shook her head lightly, "I was…looking for you, Hana-chan, but I can see you're busy so…"

"What? Oh, don't be silly, Lee-kun and I just finished eating." Hana explained as the said boy appeared on her side, and then she turned to him. "Lee-kun, do you mind if I stay here to speak to Hina-chan? I know you said you'd take me home, but…"

"Ah, don't apologize, everything's fine." Lee interrupted her with a small smile, "Thanks for eating with me though. I hope you had fun."

"Yes, thank you for looking after me." Hana added with a smile on her face, but Lee simply waved a hand in return. Then, without saying anything else, the member of Gai Team turned around, and walked away.

Confusedly, Hinata watched as Lee disappeared in a corner before she focused her attention on Hana. Surprisingly, the brunette was already staring at her, the corner of her lips still curled upwards in a gentle smile.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything." the Hyuuga promptly apologized, "I-I mean, I didn't know that you and Lee-san…I mean, I always thought that you and Shikamaru-san would somehow…"

"Ne, Hina-chan, stop apologizing." Hana interrupted her friend's ramble with a light laugh, and Hinata immediately went quiet. "Lee-kun invited me for dinner as a friend. We are not going out. He was just worried about me, and wanted to help me have a good time. Nothing's going on between us."

"Then, you…?" Hinata stopped before she could finish her question, and then she decided to change the subject. "I am sorry for bothering you at this hour, but I need to tell you something, and…I couldn't really wait."

"Okay…" Hana said with a short nod, and she crossed her arms against her chest, "Let's hear it."

"I…" Hinata paused for a moment, and stared at Hana in the eye, her fingers already fidgeting out of habit, "I have told Naruto-kun…about the arranged marriage…"

"You did what?" Hana gasped, her eyes widening slightly in both shock and surprise, and Hinata looked down through the corner of her eyes before she nodded, "You told him? How did Naruto-kun take the news?"

"Actually, he…took them better than I was expecting…" Hinata started, still in a rather slow tone, and Hana titled her head slightly to the side, her arms still crossed against her chest, "He said he's going to help me find a way to get away from all this."

"Really?" Hana inquired, and once again Hinata nodded, this time raising her orbs to gaze back at her friend. When she saw the corner of Hana's lips curling upwards, Hinata could not help but blink. "But that's great! See Hina-chan, I told you it probably wouldn't be as bad as you thought. I'm so happy for you!"

"A-Actually…" Hinata started only to clear her throat when she heard herself stutter, and it was also then that she noticed that she was fidgeting. In a desperate attempt to stop herself, Hinata entwined her fingers together in front of her legs. "Actually, I wanted to thank you, Hana-chan."

"Eh? Thank me? Why? It's not as if I did anything." the medical-nin pointed out, and Hinata shook her head, long tresses following the movement in a soundless waltz, "Seriously, Hina-chan, you're the one who deserves all the praises."

"No, you're wrong." Hinata interjected as she, once again, locked her eyes with Hana's, "You see, without your support I probably wouldn't have told Naruto-kun about everything. You were the one who listened to me, and gave me advice when I asked for it. I know I wouldn't have done what I did if it hadn't been for your help."

"You're giving me too much credit, Hina-chan." Hana declared, and the Hyuuga girl blinked as she observed her friend waving a hand in the air, "You're the one who did it all. You're the one who finally found the strength within herself to tell everything to Naruto-kun. I'm just really happy that everything worked out between the two of you."

"Hana-chan…" Hinata whispered as she continued staring at her friend's smile, and seconds later she felt the corner of her lips curling upwards as well. Then, she nodded, "Yes, I am happy everything turned out well too."

"But say, what are you guys planning on doing now?" Hana inquired, and Hinata paused for a moment before shaking her head.

"I'm not sure," she confessed, but it was then that her gentle smile grew wider, "but I'm sure that as long as Naruto-kun's next to me, everything will be all right."

* * *

Running his fingers through his head, Naruto took a deep breath before he stared at the path ahead. No matter how hard he tried not to think about what had just happened the truth was that his mind would always find a way to return to his conversation with Sakura.

As expected, the girl had not taken the news lightly. In fact, at first, when Naruto had told her about Sasuke and Hinata's arranged marriage, Sakura had simply stood quiet on her seat, looking both numb and petrified. Then, after he had finished his explanation, Sakura had clenched her hands into tight fists, and screamed to the world that there was on way on earth she was going to let Sasuke marry Hinata.

And to be honest, Naruto had actually felt relieved after hearing that proclamation. To have Sakura aiding them was a plus; he knew that with Sakura's smartness, they would be able to come up with a proper plan. Not only that, but Sakura could also take a look at the scroll, and try to find something they could use as their defence.

Not only that, but with Sakura focusing all of her energies in helping Sasuke, Naruto would be able to focus all of his power in aiding Hinata.

"Yosh!" Naruto hissed to himself at same time he raised a closed fist in front of his face, and then a smirk graced his tanned complexion. "This show is so going to be ours…"

"Naruto," a strong voice called-out so suddenly that the blond almost fell forward, on his face, "I've been looking everywhere for you; where have you been?"

"Tsunade-baachan!" Naruto exclaimed as he turned around to face the Fifth Hokage, who stared back at him with a serious mask on her face. "You said you've been looking for me? Why's that?"

"We need to talk." Tsunade answered without bothering to go around the bush, and she then crossed her arms against her chest. At her sombre expression, Naruto found himself growing serious as well, "About your parents."

"My…parents?" Naruto repeated, a frown slowly conquering his facial expression, but Tsunade did not even nod, "What do you want to tell me about them? Kakashi-sensei already told me what I needed to hear."

"Well, you will hear my version as well." Tsunade retorted immediately, her tone of voice never wavering, and Naruto locked his eyes with hers, "After all, if I do not do this, then I will never be able to do what I have to do properly."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Naruto inquired, and Tsunade shook her head lightly.

"All in due time; first, I must talk to you about your parents." she declared, "Afterwards…well, only time will tell. But for now, I want you to go see me tomorrow, first thing in the morning, and there will be no excuses if you get late."

"Okay. I got it." Naruto responded with a nod, "But then I have something to request as well. After you tell me everything about my parents, I want you to tell me everything you know about the arranged marriage between the Hyuuga Clan and Uchiha Clan."

"You know about that?" Tsunade inquired, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, and Naruto smirked at her expression.

"Yeah, Hinata told me about it." Naruto replied, the smirk never fading from his lips, "So, do we have a deal?"

Meanwhile, Haruno Sakura walked inside her bedroom, and silently made her way towards the window. Her eyes, which had been locked with the floor, looked up when the pink curtain was pushed aside by a pale hand.

Night was approaching…gradually…hazardously….beautifully…

_What's going on between Sasuke and Hinata is… If we don't do anything to stop it, they will get married soon._

Sakura gripped the curtain as soon as Naruto's voice echoed through her mind. Sasuke and Hinata were going to get married? Who had come up with such stupid thing? That certainly had to be a joke, mostly because Sasuke and Hinata did not even know each other.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura mumbled as she stared at the sky, her grip on the curtain steadily growing stronger. "I'm not going to let you do it. I'll stop this. I swear. I'm going to find something…anything that will break the contract. I…I…"

Slowly, Sakura dropped to her knees, her hand still clutching the curtain. Dropping her head, Sakura felt her short tresses caressing her cheeks, but she ignored all that by resting her free hand against her chin.

Yes, she was going to find a way to free Sasuke of the contract, and for that, she was going to meet up with him. Yes, that was it. If she talked to Sasuke, and convinced him to tell her everything, then it would probably be easier for her to find a way to end with everything.

And that was why she was going to meet with Sasuke first thing in the morning.

What Sakura did not know was that a certain pallid-eyed girl was staring at the sky, thinking the exact same thing.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Authoress Note:** To say I am really relieved to know everyone enjoyed the last chapter is an understatement. Although I loved writing it, I was also quite nervous about posting it not because of the time it took me to update the story, but because the chapter represented the moment when everything would change.

However, all of you were so amazing with me…so understanding that I ended up throwing my doubts down the drain. So, I just want to say I am really thankful for having all of you as my reviewers. You are the best! Thank you everyone!


	37. The Blooming of Our Willpower

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Hello everyone. I really apologize for taking so long to update this story, but work is taking over most of my time. However, my eagerness to finish this story is growing stronger, so I ask for all of you to just be patient.

Also, I think some of you misunderstood me when I mentioned the fact I had reached 1000 reviews. I am not saying that the number itself is the reason for my cheerfulness. On the contrary, what took me off guard was the fact most of you have been accompanying this story ever since day one. What caught my by surprise was the fact that I have many faithful readers, that keep on supporting me. Not only that, but many of you not only tell me what they think of this, but also advise me about what I should or not do.

I mean, really, could I ask for better reviewers? I doubt it.

Oh, before I forget, I have been planning on asking you guys something, although I have already decided on what to do. Would you prefer if Kakashi and Mesi had a boy or a girl? I have already decided the gender, but I must admit I'm craving for opinions. What can I say? I am weird just like that.

Well, it's time for me to shut up, and let you guys read the new chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for everything!

* * *

**Chapter 36**

_The Blooming of Our Willpower_

With vigilant eyes, Sasuke moved closer to the window of his bedroom. For some unknown reason, he could not help but feel that something was different that morning. Sasuke did not know how to explain such feeling, but it was almost as if, one way or another, there was no longer a weight on his shoulders.

A weight he had been carrying ever since he had left the high-security prison...

Crossing his arms loosely against his chest, Sasuke turned his back to the window, and made his way towards the bookshelves. Leisurely, he observed each book until his eyes fell on a picture, which had been placed neatly on the top shelf.

A picture Sasuke knew too well…

Coolly, with a blank expression on his face, Sasuke reached out for the frame, his eyes never leaving the picture. It was a rather old photograph Team Seven had taken before Sasuke had left them. It was a picture that carried the nostalgia of the past, and a reflection of what the future could have been. That if Sasuke had refused to pursue his childhood ambition…

Kakashi had not changed one bit, aside from the fact he had gotten himself a woman. Occasionally, Sasuke would ponder about their relationship only to put those thoughts aside by recalling that that was none of his business.

Then, there was Naruto. Now, Sasuke doubted their bond would ever change. Even if all his sins were forgiven, and Naruto became Hokage, Sasuke knew they would forever quarrel.

And then there was Sakura…

Focusing his attention on the pink haired girl in the picture, Sasuke started recalling everything, from their days at the Academy to the present day. Sakura had always – much for his annoyance – behaved like a fan girl. She had always tried her hardest to make him look at her, and Sasuke had always ignored her behaviour…to a certain extent.

But it had been when Sasuke had believed to be ready to walk away…when he had believed to be prepared to abandon Konoha that Sakura had decided to tell him what he had always known.

_I love you!_

At the time, Sasuke had done his best to overlook the girl's confession. However, the truth was that in a way her declaration had affected him. After all, Sakura, a girl who had never been forced to deal with loneliness and pain, had been willing to throw everything away just for him.

She had been prepared to turn her back to everything she loved for him.

And that had been why he had thanked her. No one else had ever been so honest with him, and even now Sasuke knew Sakura would turn her back to Konoha if he asked her to. Sasuke knew she would do it for him… because of her affection for him… And that had been why he had thanked her again at the library not too long ago.

"Here you are."

Looking up, Sasuke found himself staring at his former teacher. Without even blinking, the Uchiha put the frame back to its rightful place before he focused his attention on Kakashi again.

"Sorry for not knocking," Kakashi apologized, but Sasuke said nothing in return, "I just wanted to tell you Ibiki is waiting for you to give him the final project for the Uchiha Compound. Go give it to him as soon as possible."

"How's your wife?" Sasuke inquired when his former teacher turned his back to him and moved closer to the door of the room.

"Ah, so you knew about it, eh?" Kakashi asked back as he looked over his shoulder, but Sasuke simply stared back at him, "She's fine. She'll probably return this afternoon so enjoy the silence while it lasts."

"What about ANBU?" Sasuke questioned, and Kakashi waited a few seconds before he turned to his side, not looking bothered about the sudden change of topic, "I know something happened. Have they left?"

"I'm not the one who will answer that answer," Kakashi responded, but before he could continue someone knocked on the front door. "Why don't you go see who that is? I'm going to take a quick shower before going back to the hospital."

Without giving Sasuke a chance to speak up, Kakashi turned around, and walked out of the room.

Glancing one last time at the photograph, Sasuke also made his way out of the bedroom. Whoever was outside was restless for the knocking had yet to cease. As he kept a straight face, Sasuke opened the front door only to stare directly at a pair of pale green eyes.

"Sakura…"

"Sasuke-kun!" the medical-nin exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise, "Thank heavens you're home! I really need to talk to you? May I come in?"

Instead of answering, Sasuke simply stepped aside. Accepting his unvoiced invitation, Sakura practically stormed inside the house.

"Naruto told me you're going to marry Hinata-san!" Sakura blurred out as Sasuke closed the door, "Is it true? I mean, one side of me is a little reluctant about accepting this. You and Hinata-san aren't even friends! You guys don't even know each other!"

"That's the truth," Sasuke answered, and Sakura immediately went silent. For a while, all the two of them did was stand in the middle of the hallway. It did not take long; however, for Sasuke to continue speaking, "A contract speaking of an arranged marriage has been found and studied. Apparently, it speaks of a future matrimony between the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuuga Clan."

"But that…that…" Sakura stuttered only to be interrupted by a knock. Without uttering a word, Sasuke went to open the front door, and this time his onyx-black orbs met a pair of pallid lavender ones.

"I'm sorry for bothering you so early, Sasuke-san," Hinata started in her soft voice, her hands clasped in front of her legs as she bowed lightly, "But I need to talk to you."

Sasuke was about to step aside so that Hinata could walk inside when the Hyuuga heiress continued speaking.

"I apologize for not being honest with you when we last spoke." she said, and Sasuke vaguely heard someone shifting closer to him from behind, "but I came here to tell you that…I want to tell you that I do not wish to marry you. And…and I know you do not have that wish either."

"Hinata-san?" Sakura called-out as she finally appeared from behind Sasuke, a confused expression on her face, and the dark haired girl turned to her.

"Sakura-san…"

* * *

"Sit down." Tsunade ordered as she kept her back against the window, and Naruto silently did what he was ordered to. Without bothering to say a word, the blond sat down on a chair that had neatly been placed in front of the desk, "I know Kakashi has already talked to you, but I also want to have my turn."

"Okay." was all Naruto said in return as he crossed his arms against his chest, and he quickly locked eyes with the Hokage, "Is there something Kakashi-sensei forgot to tell me? Because I already know why my father sealed the Nine Tails inside of me."

"Yes, I know all that. I actually have a question for you." Tsunade declared, and Naruto blinked at that statement. Then, with a graceful movement with her wrist, the Hokage reached out for a drawer, and opened it.

Naruto silently observed as Tsunade took a familiar photo album from inside the drawer, and put it on top of the desk. Then, still without uttering a word, the Godaime opened the album, and started flipping the pages until she found the picture she was searching for. Then, Tsunade turned the photo album in Naruto's direction so that the blond could stare directly of a picture of his mother and Sorano Tanaka.

"Although when I sent you on that mission to the Land of the Whirlpool, I was hoping you'd find this, I would like to know how that happened." Tsunade requested as she crossed her arms against her chest, but Naruto simply continued staring at the picture. "Even if Hinata used _Byakugan_, I doubt she'd know that you were supposed to find this."

"We found it in a room..." Naruto started to explain, but Tsunade simply continued staring at him with a grave expression on her face, "Hinata and I, that is. We were...I mean, I was searching for this, but when I didn't find anything...well, Hinata refused to give up, and then she used _Byakugan_, and found the box where this and a few journals were."

"That still doesn't answer my question," Tsunade pointed out as she continued leaning against the window, and Naruto tore his eyes away from the photography to gaze back at her, "I want to know how you knew that this was in a room. What gave you a clue?"

"I..." Naruto paused as he recalled his mission at the land of his mother, and then he dropped his gaze. "You wouldn't believe in me, even if I told you."

"Do you know what 'Sorano Tanaka' means?" Tsunade questioned all of a sudden, and Naruto looked up at her again only to shake his head, "It means 'dweller of the sky'. So, do you mind telling me how you found the box you just mentioned?"

"Well I..." once again, Naruto trailed off, and stared at the picture again. What were the odds of Tsunade actually believing in him? "I kind of...met Tanaka."

"Excuse me?" Tsunade asked as she straightened her back, but Naruto did not look away from the picture, "Are you telling me that you saw Tanaka? Are you even aware that she passed away during the last war?"

"Yeah, I know it's difficult to believe." Naruto started, and he unconsciously raised a hand towards the album. When the tip of his fingers touched the open album, Naruto gently pulled it to him before he grasped it with both his hands. "But I did find her. She actually told me my parents' story."

"She did?" Tsunade inquired, and Naruto hesitated for a second before nodding, "That's interesting. Naruto, did you know that Tanaka was a priestess? Jiraiya himself told me she was one of the most skilled in some variety of taijutsu and genjutsu. Her knowledge about medical procedures and herbs was quite illustrious as well."

"I guessed she was a miko, mostly because of her clothing." Naruto confessed as he continued staring at the picture where Tanaka was, "But no, I didn't know about her skills or knowledge. She didn't exactly talk about herself when we met."

"She was also supposed to be your godmother." Tsunade continued, and Naruto widened his eyes in surprise at same time he stared directly at the Hokage, "Kushina wanted her to be, and I believe she would have accepted to take care of you, had she survived the war."

"But still that doesn't explain why I saw her." Naruto commented as he glanced down at the picture again, "And she was supposed to be my godmother? I...I don't..."

"I cannot explain why you saw her, either." Tsunade admitted as she moved away from the window, and stood next to her chair, arms still crossed underneath her breasts, "However, perhaps it has something to do with genjutsu."

"Eh? Genjutsu?" Naruto repeated, and Tsunade nodded before she pushed her chair backwards, and sat down. Then, she rested her crossed arms on top of the desk. "Why do you say that?"

"As you know, genjutsu techniques are employed in the same fashion as ninjutsu, since they require chakra and hand seals." the Godaime started explaining, and Naruto nodded, "The primary difference between the two is that the effect of genjutsu is illusory, creating chakra imbalances in the victim's brain, and thus causing a disruption in their senses."

"Oh yeah, they are used to create false images or to cause pain from trauma because the body is led to believe it is in pain." Naruto interrupted, and Tsunade nodded in silent agreement. "But...what does that have to do with Tanaka?"

"It is true that I cannot exactly explain how you managed to experience this, but I believe Tanaka found a way to extend her chakra flow through your cerebral nervous system." Tsunade started to explain, "I mean, to use genjutsu you must be a ninja with very precise chakra control and very high intelligence. I believe she probably knew you'd have to touch something in order to find the place where she would be."

"I would touch..." Naruto trailed off, and frowned as he tried to remember his actions before he met Tanaka. "I don't really remember doing anything. I just opened the door, and poof, there she was, scaring the crap out of me."

"So maybe she used the door as the trigger." Tsunade pondered as she rested her chin on her right hand, and Naruto titled his head to the side. "And I take it that after she told you about your parents' story, she told you where to find the album?"

"Err...yeah, she told me there was a book that could tell me about my parents' story more accurately." Naruto answered before he scratched the back of his head, "She didn't tell me exactly where it was, though. She just told me it was somewhere inside a room. That's where Hinata came in. Without her _Byakugan_ we would have never found the box."

"Hmm, I understand." Tsunade thought out loud, and Naruto blinked.

"You know, when you asked me to come here, I thought you were planning to tell me something about my parents." Naruto confessed, "But in the end we ended up talking about Tanaka."

"Well, if you think about it, without Tanaka's appearance, we most likely wouldn't be talking at all, right now." Tsunade pointed out, and when Naruto looked at her, the Godaime smiled faintly at him, "However, there's still one thing I'd like to tell you."

"Okay..."

"You know about what's going on with Hinata, don't you?" Tsunade inquired, and Naruto waited a few seconds before nodding.

"If you're talking about the arranged marriage, then yes, I am aware of it." the boy responded, and the Hokage raised her entwined fingers so that she could rest her chin on her hands, "I have also sworn to do something to stop it."

"Really? Now that's not surprising." Tsunade commented, and Naruto titled his head slightly to the side at her observation, "But tell me, what are you planning to do? I mean, albeit the fact I do not agree with this, I cannot do anything about it. Hiashi, on the other hand, is quite committed to make everything go according to plan."

"I don't give a damn about what Hiashi thinks." Naruto retorted almost immediately, but Tsunade did not even blink at his slightly angered tone, "I promised Hinata I was going to do something about it, and I will. Even Sakura-chan accepted to give us a hand. I will not let Hinata marry Sasuke."

"Oh really?" Tsunade hummed, and Naruto nodded, determination emerging from the depths of his eyes. However, when the blond was about to speak up, the Godaime's lips formed a wider smile, "You know what? I believe you. You are, after all, the Fourth Hokage's son."

"Yeah..." Naruto said, the corner of his lips also curling upwards into a smile, and he then raised a fist in front of his face, "Believe in me. I'm going to surprise everyone. Hiashi won't even know what hit him!"

* * *

Raising his orbs without moving his head, Shikamaru stared at the female that was sitting across from him, holding the menu with both her hands. Her pose was refined as she kept her back straightened while her legs were elegantly crossed underneath the table. Her dark orbs were carefully scanning the list of options while a faint frown was on her face.

Without drawing any attention to himself, Shikamaru continued observing the young woman; his eyes glanced at her typical hairstyle before he gazed down at her face again. Her eyes were now frozen, probably because she had finally found something she would like to try out, and her lips clasped together in thought.

That was one of her habits, and he had noticed it many months before. The tendency of gluing her lips together whether she was pondering about something came out naturally for her, and Shikamaru knew she had yet to notice that action of hers.

"Is there something on my face?" Temari asked all of a sudden, and Shikamaru raised his dark orbs so that he could stare directly at her own dark eyes. It was then that the female ninja looked away from the menu, to gaze back at him. "You keep staring at my lips."

"Tsk, what makes you think I'm looking at your lips?"

"Feel free to deny it; it's not as if that's going to bother me." Temari retorted before she closed the menu, and put it down on the table. "So, tell me, what do you think of this change of environment? It's been a while since we last went out to talk about things other than the Chunin Exams."

"It's a nice change." Shikamaru answered as he crossed his arms on the table. Then, he glanced around at their surroundings. "I actually didn't know they had opened a new restaurant in Konoha. But then again, every time my team goes out to eat we always end up at the barbecue restaurant."

"Then let's make sure we enjoy this meal." Temari responded before she raised a hand, and called out for a waiter. Then, as she lowered her arm, she turned to Shikamaru again. "I have been thinking about staying in Konoha for a while longer."

"Really? That's a first." Shikamaru commented as he glanced to his side, and saw the waiter coming their way. Leisurely, he dropped his arms from the table, and straightened up. "What happened to make you plan that?"

"Do I need a reason to stay in Konoha?" Temari asked back as she raised an eyebrow slightly, but before Shikamaru could even think about answering her, the waiter appeared next to their table. After a few minutes telling the member of staff serving at table what they wanted, Shikamaru focused his attention on the female in front of him again.

"I was simply wondering about what made you change your mind, that's all." he pointed out now resting against the back of his chair. "You usually leave as soon as we finish preparing everything for the Chunin Exams."

"Well, actually I have a proposition for you." Temari started, her sophisticated aura growing more noticeable as she gracefully crossed her arms against her chest. "I understand this will most likely appear to be unreasonable, but I'd still like to know what you think of it."

"I'm listening." was all Shikamaru said, and he silently took in the way Temari glued her lips together as she tried to find the words to utter next. Not even during those few seconds of hesitation, did she reveal uneasiness or discomposure.

"As you know, I'm the oldest of my family." Temari began after a few seconds, but before Shikamaru could even think about something to say, the waiter returned with their meals. Smiling, Temari turned to the young man standing next to them, and nodded. "Thank you."

When they were alone once more, Shikamaru turned to Temari, and waited for her to continue with her speech. Instead, the girl took a bite of her food before she reached out for her drink. As he watched her eat, Shikamaru could not help but wonder what had possessed him to actually accept to go out with her. Sure, when she had invited him, he had thought that it was a good idea to go to a restaurant, and simply loosen up, but now Shikamaru could not help but wonder if it had been wise to accept her invitation.

The way she had started the conversation, with the 'I'm the oldest of my family', surely could not bring any good news.

"Like I was saying," Temari finally spoke up, and Shikamaru took the chance to start eating as well, "I am the oldest of my family, and even though Gaara is the Kazekage, I obviously have my own share of responsibilities."

Shikamaru simply nodded at that.

"And one of my responsibilities is to set the example." Temari continued, and once again, Shikamaru nodded in silent understanding. Then, there was a short pause, but when the member of the Nara family raised his eyes to look questionably at her, Temari let out a sigh, "You see, the Council has grown restless with Gaara's lack of interest to find a companion, and thus they have decided to invite various ninja from all over to go to Sunagakure. Unfortunately, they also want me and Kankurou to find dates."

Shikamaru chocked at that.

"Yes, it's quite exciting, isn't it?" Temari asked, mockery clear in her voice, and Shikamaru struggled to control his coughs at same time he punched himself on the chest. Instead of aiding him, Temari put down her cutlery before she rested her elbows on the table. "And guess what? There's more."

"M-More?" Shikamaru coughed as he felt his eyes tearing, and this time Temari reached out for his glass of water, and handed it to him. Eagerly, the boy took a long sip only to let out two more coughs abandon his lips afterwards.

"Oh yes, more." Temari answered as she continued to observe him with her dark orbs, "You see; the Council realizes that Gaara understands little about emotions, and thus they want me and Kankurou to show him what it means to date."

"Guinea pigs?"

"Yeah, in a way you can call us that." Temari responded with a faint nod, "But anyway, the point of this conversation is that the Council has been bothering me about this subject for quite some time, and I thought it was time I told someone."

"The Council has been bothering you? Now, that's a surprise." Shikamaru pointed out as he finally calmed down, and put his glass down. "You haven't looked troubled at all, and now you suddenly decided to drop this bomb on me? Man, don't be troublesome."

"I apologize for not enjoying bringing my personal problems to work." Temari declared, and for a second Shikamaru stood silent. Now that he thought of it, she was right; she was not the kind of person who mixed private matters with work, on contrary of him, who had done a lousy job trying to stay away from his problems.

"But I do have a reason to why I decided to bring this up now." Temari confirmed as she continued eating. Shikamaru, on the other hand, decided not to touch his food until he was certain that she was not trying to choke him to death. "That has to do with you."

"I fail to see how your current situation has anything to do with me," the boy observed with a small shrug, but when a faint smile suddenly graced Temari's face, he felt a shiver run up his spine. Oh boy, that could not be good…

"Have you not paid attention to what I told you just now?" she inquired, the smile never abandoning her lips, and Shikamaru hesitated before nodding. "Then, put that IQ of yours working, and figure it out yourself."

"Man, don't be so troublesome, and just tell me." Shikamaru sighed, "You told me Sunagakure's Council wants you and Kankurou to find dates for the gathering they are preparing. Since you're the oldest, the Council is pressuring you to be the perfect example, and now you're telling me this because—"

Shikamaru stopped talking abruptly.

"Why did you stop? You were going so well." Temari stated before she reached out for her glass, and took a small sip. Instead of answering, Shikamaru simply stared into space, thoughts consuming his mind at full speed. "Did you finally understand why I talked to you?"

"Oh crap, you gotta be kidding me." Shikamaru breathed out as he gradually returned to reality, and turned to Temari. "Surely, you're kidding me."

"Unfortunately not." the female ninja answered as she put her glass down, "The Council has given me the opportunity to find my…date. Albeit I'm not interested in this sort of thing, I don't want to leave Kankurou to deal with this all by himself. Besides, the sooner I do this, the higher is the chance to keep this matter away from Gaara's ears."

"What? Kazekage-sama isn't aware of the Council's plans?" Shikamaru asked in surprise, and Temari narrowed her eyes at that before speaking up, in a darker tone.

"I told them I'd send them all to the hospital if they even thought of telling Gaara about it," she hissed, but as quickly as the sombre expression had conquered her face, the quicker it was gone. "Anyway, what do you have to say about this?"

"You can't possibly be serious!" Shikamaru exclaimed, without even bothering to lower his voice, "I've always known you were troublesome, but…what possessed you to even think of me as a possible candidate?"

"Because regardless of how we deal with each other, I know you're the best." Temari stated so suddenly that Shikamaru felt his heart skip a beat. How on earth could she be so collected and calm? "Listen, I know this is too much to take in right now, which is why I'm not expecting an answer right now. Just…think about it, and give me your answer afterwards."

"Temari—"

"And don't worry, even if you say no, I won't get mad," the Sand ninja interrupted him by raising a hand slightly in the air, but Shikamaru still parted his lips again to speak up. "I only told you this because – like I said – I know you're the best candidate. And besides, it didn't hurt to tell you about all this.

"Well, thanks for kicking the bomb to my side of the field." Shikamaru muttered as he reached out for his glass of water, and took a small sip. Then, he paused, "But although I won't give you the answer now, I will do it in a close future."

"Yes," Temari said with a faint nod, and she started eating again, "I know you will."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Q: **Oi, was it just me, or in the last chapter you mentioned the possibility of writing a sequel? I mean, are you for real?

**A: **Yeah, I did say that I would write a sequel...or so I hope. However, the idea is still a little raw so I rather not say much about it. If I do end up writing it, though, then I'll leave an announcement in the last chapter of _Welcome Home_.


	38. Clash of Titans

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay, I am finally going ahead of this story. I already wrote two more chapters, which still need to be revised, but at least I managed to write them down.

We have finally arrived at the chapters which worry me…a lot. Why? I believe everyone will understand my reasons as soon as they start reading this one. Oh, I just hope you guys enjoy this. Especially since these are quite important chapters.

Also, I want to apologize for not answering to your reviews as I used to. My work has been taking a lot of me, so it has become rather complicated for me to do so. However, I will try to start answering them again soon. I am really sorry about it.

Now, I can only hope you'll enjoy the new chapters.

* * *

**Chapter 37**

_Clash of Titans_

He was running at full speed, hands clenched in determination while his eyes were locked with his destination. Thankfully it was not going to take long for him to reach his house because he was truly anxious about checking his mother's journals again. Although he was not entirely sure about finding what he needed, Naruto could not help but believe that he would find a clue in his mother's diaries.

And besides, Tsunade had told him something that had given his optimism a boost.

_You know what? I believe in you. You are, after all, The Fourth Hokage's son._

And so, as the Yodaime's son, Naruto was definitely going to do something about Hinata's current situation. He had to, because, obviously, no one else was going to do it.

"Oi! Naruto!" a voice shouted all of a sudden, causing the blond to stop running so suddenly that he almost fell forward. Confusedly, Naruto looked behind him, and saw non-other than Inuzuka Kiba, and his faithful dog, Akamaru, walking towards him. "Where on earth have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Ah, Kiba, I really have no time to talk to you right now." Naruto rushed his response, his hands still closed into tight fists, "I really need to go home!"

"Hey, wait just a second!" Kiba exclaimed as Naruto got ready to start running again, and the member of the Inuzuka Clan promptly rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Calm down, I just want to ask if you've seen Hinata lately. Shino and I haven't meet with her for a while now, and we're a little worried."

"Ah, so you don't know?" Naruto asked as he turned to the other boy, who simply titled his head slightly to the side. "Oh, never mind, I don't really have the time to explain what's going on right now. But as for Hinata, she's fine, she returned to the Hyuuga Clan."

"Oi Naruto!" Kiba called out when the blond unexpectedly turned his back to him, but after giving two steps forward, Naruto cried out in surprise at same time he jumped backwards.

"What the...?"

"I believe Kiba asked you a question, Naruto." Aburame Shino pointed out as he continued standing in front of the blond, hands stuck inside his coat's pockets, and Naruto swallowed hard in nervousness. "It's disrespectful to turn your back to someone who asked you a question."

"A-Ah, I'm just...ah man, fine!" Naruto finally hissed before he waved a hand in front of his face, "Just stop scaring the crap out of me! What do you wanna do? Give me a heart attack?"

"Will you just stop rambling, and tell us already?" Kiba asked as he rested his hands on his hips, and Naruto turned to him. "Look, if this is about Hinata living with you, don't worry; we already know."

"Hinata told us a couple of days after you started living together," Shino added, his face completely emotionless as always, and Naruto turned to him again. "We did not enjoy the arrangements, but because we trust in you, we agreed to let Hinata stay with you."

"And that's exactly why we decided to talk to you." Kiba continued, "I mean, we haven't seen Hinata pretty much since she told us she was with you. We keep missing each other, so we just want to know if something happened."

"Kiba's right; you are the most appropriated person to explain the current situation to us." Shino finished, and Naruto gazed at his two friends before he let out a sigh.

"Nothing's wrong. Hinata is just being forced to marry Sasuke-teme." he said, sarcasm clear in every word, and while Kiba let out a loud 'what?', Shino did not reveal one single speck of surprise. "Yeah, you heard me. Hiashi came up with an arranged marriage between the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan."

"What the hell...?"

"Naruto," Shino started before Kiba could finish his question, and Naruto could not help but squirm a little under the silent man's intimidating posture, "I believe I just heard you say that Hinata's betrothed to Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Err...yeah, that's what I said..." Naruto answered without bothering to hide his apprehension, and Kiba rested a hand against his forehead.

"Why can't things ever go normal with you?" he asked under his breath, and Naruto turned to him, "I mean, seriously, whenever you are, bad things are doomed to follow. I mean, damn, talking about karma!"

"Oi, this is not my fault!" Naruto exclaimed as he turned around so that he could face Kiba, "I'm doing my best to end this arrangement! How can you blame me for something I have no control over?"

"Naruto," Shino called again, and once again the blond cringed at the way his name was uttered, "What are you going to do to help Hinata? Do you have a plan?"

"Well, I told Sakura-chan about this, and also Hinata and Sasuke are not interested in the engagement." Naruto quickly explained, "I just want to go home, and take a look at my mother's diaries. I don't know why, but I have the feeling I'll find something there."

"Your mother's diaries?" Kiba repeated as he raised an eyebrow, and Naruto nodded at that.

"Yeah, since she married my father, I like to think she probably heard about this arranged marriage." he said, and Kiba titled his head to the side, confusion written all over his face.

"And who exactly is your father?"

"Ah, I don't have time to explain that now!" Naruto exclaimed, "I promise I'll do my best to help Hinata out, but in order to do that, I have to get home! I'll see you guys later!"

"Oi, wait!" Kiba shouted, but this time Naruto ignored him by rushing in direction of his house, carefully avoiding bumping into Shino on the way. "What the hell is going on?"

"Perhaps we should go visit Hinata tomorrow?" Shino asked back, still with a blank expression on his face, and Kiba nodded in return.

As Kiba and Shino started walking in direction of the training grounds, Naruto was rushing at full speed in direction of his apartment. In a matter of minutes, the boy had already swung the front door open only to slam it close in a blink of an eye.

"Journals, journals..." Naruto muttered to himself as he stormed inside his bedroom, completely oblivious of the paper that flew towards the furthest wall when he opened his door. Then, without even bothering to breath, the blond rushed towards the wooden box that was lying close to his bed.

"Alright! Now, I really need to start studying!" Naruto exclaimed as he picked the box up before he sat down on his mattress. However, since he was too agitated, he failed to set the box properly on the bed, which resulted in the box falling to the floor with a loud noise.

Cringing at his lack of delicacy, Naruto bent down on the floor, and picked the box up again only to sigh when the lid opened. Quicker than a tide wave, all journals scattered around through the floor.

"Man, I really don't need this right now..." Naruto complained under his breath as he settled the box aside, and started picking all the diaries from the floor. It was only when he was about to reach for the last one that he saw something through the corner of his eyes.

Blinking in puzzlement, Naruto continued staring at a particular spot in his room at same time he placed his mother's diaries inside the box. Then, still without looking away, the blond stood up, and made his way towards the left side of his room.

"What's this?" Naruto inquired before he bent down in order to grab a fallen paper only to stare inquisitively at it. Still with a confused expression on his face, Naruto looked behind him, and stared at the box. Could it be that that folded paper had been ripped off from one of his mother's diaries?

Staring down at the folded paper, Naruto decided to open it. The first thing he noticed was that the handwriting was not his mother's, which clearly indicated that it did not belong to one of her diaries. But then, if it was not his mother's, then to whom did it belong to?

Without knowing what else to do, Naruto started reading the contents with a frown on his face. A scowl that grew deeper as he continued reading, but when he reached the end of the letter, Naruto could not help but widen his eyes in both shock and surprise.

"Ah! This is...!" Naruto exclaimed as he continued holding the paper with both his hands, the same shocked expression still on his face. It was also then that the image of a pallid-eyed girl emerged from the back of his mind, and Naruto widened his eyes in realization. "Ah! Hinata, I already know what to do!"

While Naruto eagerly picked one of his mother's diaries from inside the box again, still holding the folded paper with his right hand, both Sakura and Sasuke were staring at a timid Hinata. A pregnant silence had risen after the Hyuuga's words, and even though Sakura did want to speak up, no words came out from her slightly parted lips.

"Please, Sasuke-san," Hinata started in her gentle and quiet tone, her hands still clasped in front of her legs, "if I am wrong, please correct me, but I do believe you are not pleased with my father's arrangement."

"Why should I not be happy with it? Marrying you was one of the reasons why I left prison earlier." Sasuke declared all of a sudden, his face still blank of any emotion, and Sakura stared wide-eyed at him, "Didn't your father tell you? If I marry you, I will have to show to Konohagakure how serious I am about rebuilding the Uchiha Compound, and I can only do that by creating a family."

"I'm sorry, but I do not see how having a family would keep you from harming someone." Hinata interjected, her eyes finding Sasuke's moments later, "Although there are those who face death for the sake of their loved ones, there are also many people out there who turn their back to their families for the sake of wealth and power."

"Hinata-san!" Sakura gasped in horror as she recalled Sasuke's older brother, but the Hyuuga did not look away from Sasuke.

"I am sorry if not marrying me will cause you troubles, Sasuke-san, but I still refuse to marry you." Hinata proceeded, "I will gladly help you in any other way, but please...please, let's call the engagement off."

"You do realize your father is going to oppose us?" Sasuke pointed out still without revealing the smallest emotion, and Hinata waited for a few seconds before nodding. "And do you believe he'll allow us to cancel everything?"

"I like to believe that..." Hinata trailed off as she dropped her gaze, and Sakura looked away from the Hyuuga to gaze at Sasuke.

She really did not understand what was going on. Hinata was obviously doing her best to find a way to cancel the wedding, but Sasuke...Sasuke was behaving so indifferently. He had said that one of the reasons why he had left prison earlier had to do with his marriage to Hinata, and yet it seemed as if he really did not care about what could happen in the future.

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura started only to shut up when Hinata spoke up as well.

"Like Naruto-kun usually says," the dark haired girl started, and Sakura looked at her again only to blink at what she saw. Never had she seen such content expression on someone's face...never had Sakura seen such pure love glitter in one's eyes... "I want to believe that we can do it. I want to believe that together we'll find a way to escape from such arrangement."

"So, you are doing this for Naruto." Sasuke declared all of a sudden as he crossed his arms against his chest. "You are doing this because of your feelings for him."

"That's true." Hinata confessed so suddenly and yet so truthfully that Sakura could not help but feel her heart skip a beat at the statement, "However, I am also doing this for Naruto's family sake. I want to do this for Naruto-kun, for Sakura-san, and..."

Hinata trailed off, and when Sakura was positive that she was not going to continue, the Hyuuga locked eyes with Sasuke.

"And I also want to do this for your own sake, Sasuke-san."

Once again, silence surrounded the trio. For the longest time Sasuke and Hinata kept their eyes locked while Sakura observed the two of them. That was most likely the first time Sakura was seeing such a strong-minded Hinata, and for a split of a second the medical-nin wondered if Naruto had anything to do with such change.

He usually did.

"I do realize that this decision will have many consequences, and I promise I will help you in everything I can." Hinata continued, and Sakura could not help but question if the Hyuuga was aware of how beautiful she looked on that moment. Since Hinata always seemed to hide behind her shyness, Sakura had never had the chance to see how strong she truly was.

But now...now that Hinata was standing in front of her, in a graceful pose and a resolute expression on her face, Sakura could not help but find her absolutely exquisite. She did not resemble to the once frail and delicate Hinata from the past.

"So, please, Sasuke-san, listen to your own heart." Hinata advised, and Sakura snapped from her thoughts at such request, "Also, you asked if I wanted to marry you. Well now I want to ask you the same thing, and please, be honest; do you have any wish to marry me?"

Nervously, Sakura turned her head in Sasuke's direction, and unconsciously closed her hands into tight fists when she noticed his emotionless mask. The silent seconds that followed Hinata's question resembled to an excruciating eternity as both girls waited for Sasuke's voice to echo through the hallway.

"Does my opinion matter?" Sasuke eventually asked, catching both Hinata and Sakura by surprise, "I hardly think so."

"That's not true!" Sakura exclaimed before she could restrain herself, and she promptly turned to face Sasuke, "Your opinion matters a lot! It's not just Hinata-san who wants to hear your answer. I want to know it too!"

"Sakura..."

"Sakura-san's right." Hinata declared, politely interrupting Sasuke, and both members of Team Seven turned to her, "Why should your opinion be of no value? You deserve to have a saying in this. After all, it's about your future as well."

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura whispered, and this time the Uchiha did turn to her, his eyes find the girl's almost immediately, and the medical-nin licked her lips in anticipation, "Please, answer Hinata-san's question."

Calmly Sasuke turned to Hinata again, and for a moment Sakura could not help but feel as if she was witnessing the clash of titans. In one side was Uchiha Sasuke, standing strong, looking as if nothing would ever be strong enough to make him fall. In the other side stood Hyuuga Hinata, a refined and strong-willed girl, who was breaking all of her walls to do what she believed to be correct.

"Tomorrow morning," Sasuke started all of a sudden, and Sakura blinked at his voice, "we will go talk to your father, and let him know that we no longer wish to marry one another. I shall meet you by the front gates of the Hyuuga Compound."

"Very well…" Hinata responded as she bowed lightly in understanding, but when she raised her head, she surprised both Sasuke and Sakura with her kind smile, "Then tomorrow we will do our best to bring an end to this torment. I'm sorry for bothering you."

All Sasuke did was to bow lightly in return as well, and after nodding in Sakura's direction, Hinata turned her back to the two members of Team Seven, and walked away. In silence, Sasuke closed the front door, and made his way towards his room, leaving Sakura all by herself.

"But Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered as she watched the Uchiha disappearing through a door, a depressed mask on her face, "you never answered Hinata-san's question..."

"Well, well, well, what's going on?" a male voice inquired all of a sudden, and Sakura looked behind her only to see Kakashi coming her way, a damp towel resting on his shoulders although he was already fully dressed. "I thought I had just heard Hinata's voice."

"Yeah, Hinata-san came here to talk to Sasuke-kun, but she already left." Sakura answered before she looked down, "Say, Kakashi-sensei, I...I really want to help Sasuke-kun and Hinata-san, but I...I don't really know what I should do to begin with."

"There are times in life when all you can do is stay in the sidelines," Kakashi started, and Sakura raised her head to look at him, "And even though I do know you want to help them, Sakura, this is something they have to do by themselves."

"But still I..."

"Sakura, I know that standing in the sidelines isn't what you want," Kakashi proceeded as he rested a hand on his former student's shoulder, "but sometimes cheering for the ones you love is the only thing you can do."

* * *

The crack of dawn could not come soon enough for certain people. Hinata, in all her concealed edginess was standing in front of the gates that lead to the Hyuuga Compound. A cold breeze was playing with her long tresses, covering most of her face, but the girl ignored it all as she patiently waited for Sasuke to arrive.

She had informed her father in the previous night that she wanted a meeting with him. Hiashi, for her surprise, had accepted to meet with her early in the morning. What Hinata had failed to tell her father was that Sasuke was going to participate in the meeting as well.

As she bit her lower lip in nervousness, Hinata dropped her gaze, and closed her eyes. Although she had already prayed after she had gotten out of bed, she could not help but do it all over again. She really hoped that things would turn out all right. They had to. For everybody's sake!

"Hinata?"

Raising her head in surprise, the Hyuuga heiress found herself staring at non-other but Inuzuka Kiba. Next to him, as expected, was Akamaru, who wasted no time in rushing to her side, and rise on its legs in order to lick her cheek.

"Kiba-kun!" Hinata exclaimed as she gave one step backwards as Akamaru rested his paws on her shoulders, and she quickly rested her hands on the dog's neck, "A-Ah, Akamaru! That's enough!"

"Oi, Akamaru, get down." Kiba requested as he walked towards his friend, hands resting on his hips, "And where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"O-Oh, I'm sorry, it's just..." Hinata paused when Akamaru let go off her, and made his way to his owner's side, "I had a few things to take care of, and..."

"Okay, okay, don't stress." Kiba interrupted as he waved a hand in front of his face in a nonchalant way, "It's just that Shino and I have been kind of worried about you. I mean, ever since you left your house that we haven't meet so..."

"I'm really sorry, Kiba-kun." Hinata apologized as she bowed slightly in return, "I swear that after I take care of everything, I'll go an—"

"Oi, don't worry about it, I'm just glad I managed to see you." Kiba immediately interrupted, "And it's good to see you're okay."

"Ah, yes, I'm fine." Hinata answered in her soft tone with a small smile on her face, and Kiba smirked back at her, "I promise that as soon as everything's done, I'll go practice with you and Shino-kun."

"I'll make sure to tell Shino that." Kiba stated with a short nod, the amused smirk never leaving his lips, "That guy may suck when it comes to reveal his emotions, but he really doesn't bother that much to cover his concern over you."

Hinata blushed faintly at that.

"I'm sorry, I—"

"Hinata-san," a deep voice called all of a sudden from behind Kiba, and the Hyuuga heiress looked behind her team mate only to feel her heart skip a beat in anticipation. Walking towards her, carrying an aura of power and loneliness was Uchiha Sasuke himself.

"I knew I had smelled something funny." Kiba declared as he turned to his side, and Hinata gazed at the back of his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Kiba-kun, I was waiting for Sasuke-san." Hinata spoke up before the Uchiha could do it, and Kiba immediately turned her way, disbelief written all over his face. "I promise I will tell you what's going on later, but for now, please..."

"You bet you're gonna tell me what's going on." Kiba said as he stared at Hinata, "I really don't like the way this is going."

"Move aside." Sasuke requested as he stared at Kiba with a blank mask on his face at same time he stopped in front of the Inuzuka boy. Gritting his teeth, Kiba did give one step backwards before he turned to Hinata again.

"If this guy gives you a hard time, just call me."

"Thank you, Kiba-kun." Hinata thanked with a short nod, but Kiba still took a few seconds to walk away, his eyes never leaving Sasuke's silent form.

"Your friend needs an anger management class." Sasuke pointed out after a few seconds as he stared at Hinata, who looked away from Kiba's back to gaze back at him.

"Don't we all?" she inquired, but since she knew Sasuke was not going to answer her, Hinata continued, "But please, come in. I have already spoken to my father, and announced my wish to speak to him this morning. I only failed to say that you would be present as well."

"Very well." was all Sasuke said before he stepped through the open gates, and Hinata was about to follow him when she looked over her shoulder. The truth was that she had not even informed Naruto about what was going to occur, and she felt terrible about it. All she hoped was that things would take a turn to the better after her conversation with her father, but due to her past, Hinata could not help but be hesitant about everything.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata whispered before she turned to face the gates, and after biting her lower lip, she started walking forward. Her eyes quickly landed on Sasuke's back, and Hinata took a deep breath as she watched the way he walked.

He was not Naruto, but in a way Hinata could not help but sense that Sasuke knew what he was doing. His posture told her that much and perhaps that was why his presence helped to calm her down in a way.

Because Hinata knew Sasuke was going to do his best in his own quiet way.

"Hanabi-sama, what are you doing?" Neji questioned as he appeared behind the youngest Hyuuga, who was simply standing in the middle of a hallway. Raising his orbs to look in the same direction as his cousin, Neji blinked at what he saw.

There stood both Sasuke and Hinata, in the middle of the corridor, staring at an open door. And standing by the doorway, looking strict and grand, was non-other than Hyuuga Hiashi himself.

"What the...?" was all that abandoned Neji's lips and Hanabi slowly looked away from her older sister to gaze at him.

"This is it, isn't it?" she asked, and when Neji focused his attention on her, Hanabi paused for a second before continuing, "The moment when everything will be decided?"

"Yes," Neji answered before he gazed at Hinata again only to see her walk inside the living-room, Sasuke following her in silence before closing the door behind him. "I believe it is."

**To Be Continued...**


	39. The Beast of Verity

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay, this chapter was not as hard as I thought it would be to write, but I must admit I am a little hesitant about it…about how you guys will react towards it. But then again, it's not as if I can do something about it now.

So, I guess all I can do now is to cross my fingers, and hope for the best!

* * *

**Chapter 38**

_The Beast of Verity_

There was authority....

There was discomfort...

There was trepidation...

There was power...

There was purpose...

Raising her orbs from her knees without moving her bowed head, Hinata managed to glance at her father. He was sitting across from her, hands on his legs, his back straight in his usual authoritative pose. In his face was his usual frown while his eyes were staring directly at Sasuke's.

Without knowing what to do, Hinata dropped her gaze before she closed her eyes. Her heartbeat had increased significantly ever since she had stepped inside the room. The palms of her hands had grown sweatier as well, as a reaction to all those years during which she stood under her father's glare. However, after she had sat down, Hinata had managed to regain control of her body, and managed to conceal her nervousness.

She knew she could not show her fear, for her father would jump at it like a beast capturing its prey. She was aware that she also had to keep her posture or her father would realize that something was wrong.

And Hinata was conscious that she had to believe in herself so that everything could end well.

"Hinata, if I am not mistaken, you were the one who requested this meeting." Hiashi spoke all of a sudden, his eyes now focused on his daughter, and the girl felt a shiver run up her spine. "What is that you wish to discuss with me?"

"I..." Hinata paused, and she closed her eyes before she took a deep breath. She could not hesitate...she could not look sapless, and that was why Hinata raised her head. "Sasuke-san and I are here to discuss our engagement with you, father."

When Hiashi did not even blink, the Hyuuga heiress decided to continue.

"Sasuke-san and I met yesterday, and we concluded that none of us wishes to marry." she explained, her hands closed into loosened fists, "And that is why we came here today. We wanted to tell you about our wish to cancel the wedding."

"That cannot be done." Hiashi immediately proclaimed, still with the same expression on his face, "Your marriage was determined a long time ago. You cannot defy it. Your youthful desires have nothing to do with it."

"Father..."

"I believe that's where you're wrong."

Hinata looked to her side in surprise, her eyes falling on Sasuke's pallid features in a matter of seconds. Just like her father, Sasuke appeared to emanate both authority and elegance through his sophisticated pose.

"The contract speaks of a marriage between two Clans, which was decided to be the Hyuuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan." Sasuke continued without even blinking, "It was also decided that Hinata-san and I were to wed due to the fact we're both heirs of our respective Clans. We did not have the opportunity to express our own opinions, which I find to be discriminatory."

"Sasuke-san..." Hinata whispered, but the said boy did not look away from Hiashi.

"The conversation Hinata-san and I went through was delayed various times, which is why we only came to terms recently." Sasuke proceeded, "Still that should not invalidate our opinions. You are talking about our future, after all."

"And what is that you want to do?" Hiashi questioned, and Hinata vaguely noticed tension rising from the corners of the room, "Do you intend to break the engagement off? Do you understand the consequences that would result from such decision?"

"I am aware of the implications, yes."

"Really?" Hiashi asked, and for some reason Hinata could not help but shiver at the tone her father had used to utter that single word, "Do you realize that this arranged marriage was one of the main reasons why you left the high-security prison? Do you understand that if you decide not to go ahead with the wedding, the possibility of you being taken to the prison increases tenfold?"

"Allow me to worry about that." Sasuke requested, his tone of voice never changing, and Hinata felt her breathe get caught on her throat. Then, she gazed at her father; Sasuke could be taken to jail again?

"Then, tell me, Uchiha-san," Hiashi started, "What is that you do not like about my daughter?"

Oh dear...

"Your daughter is the ideal woman for many men of our society." Sasuke answered so quickly that it looked as if he had been expecting that question, "I dare to say she's the perfect Yamato Nadeshiko."

Hinata gazed at Sasuke with a surprised mask on her face, but the boy simply continued staring at Hiashi.

"She carries all attributes that are considered traditionally desirable from the perspective of a male dominated society, most likely because Hinata-san was raised to be an accepted member of the community." the Uchiha continued, and Hinata looked down in awkwardness. "And I am quite sure that, as a wife, Hinata-san would always act for the benefit of her family."

"Then, why do you refuse to sign the contract?" Hiashi inquired, and a moment of silence followed his question. Timidly, and without raising her head, Hinata gazed at Sasuke through the corner of her eyes.

He looked so indomitable in his own quiet posture...

"Is it due to the lack of passion?"

"The existence of feelings is rather unimportant in my opinion." Sasuke declared as Hinata blushed ten shades of red at her father's question, "But I must remind you that the arranged marriage is more than just two signatures scribbled next to each other in a contract."

"You are interested in someone." Hiashi questioned, though it sounded more like a statement, and Hinata looked away although such observation had not been directed to her. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not break eye-contact with the Head of the Hyuuga Clan.

"My personal interests are not to be discussed." Sasuke proclaimed, and Hinata felt her heart skip a beat. "The reason that brought us here today is the wish to break the engagement off. We came to talk to you out of politeness."

"What about you, Hinata?" Hiashi asked all of a sudden, and the said girl raised her head to look at him, "What do you have to say about this matter? Do you wish to cancel the engagement, even though you are aware of the consequences?"

"I..."

"Because I will be the one to tell Hokage-sama about what happened here." Hiashi continued before Hinata could speak up, "And I will be the one to inform the Godaime that Uchiha Sasuke is to return to the high-security prison regardless of his wish to rebuild the Uchiha Clan."

Hinata felt her heart squeeze at such statements. She had indeed decided to talk to Sasuke about breaking the engagement off while thinking solemnly about her personal reasons. Never did Hinata hear Sasuke say what he thought about the whole situation.

Not even once did Sasuke speak about what could happen to him if they did manage to annul the ceremony.

"Hinata?" Hiashi called out, and it was only then that the heiress noticed that she had been gazing at Sasuke for the past few seconds. Quickly, yet without looking too embarrassed, Hinata gazed back at her father. "What do you have to say about the present situation?"

Oh heavens, she could not waver now...

"Like I said," Sasuke spoke up before Hinata could come up with something to say, "What happens to me is irrelevant. Do you accept our decision to cancel the wedding or not?"

"Sasuke-san..." Hinata whispered, and this time the Uchiha did glance at her through the corner of his eyes. When their orbs met, the girl felt her breath get stuck on her throat; the way Sasuke was staring at her...albeit his face was still emotionless, she could see in his eyes...she could see that he was determined to go ahead...

He too wanted to end everything.

"Hinata?" Hiashi repeated, and the girl looked at him again. "Do you want to cancel the arrangement?"

"I..." Hinata mechanically closed her hands into tighter fists, her heartbeat increasing dramatically, but she still managed to keep her uneasiness at bay. "Yes, I... Father, I know what it would mean for you if I got married to Sasuke-san, but I...we can't do it."

"So, you wish to terminate the contract although it was established that a wedding would unite the two most influential Clans, correct?" Hiashi asked, and both Sasuke and Hinata nodded at same time. "Regardless of what may happen in a close future, you still want to defy everyone all because of your youthful dreams."

"Yes, we apologize for the inconvenience, but we cannot continue with this charade." Sasuke responded, "However, since none of the parts indeed signed the contract, then it should be easier to annul the wedding."

"Yes..." Hiashi responded, but there was something in the way he had agreed that made Hinata shiver for the third time that morning. "I believe you are correct. Also, I am forced to admit that I have come to admire your determination and also your foolishness, Uchiha Sasuke. After all, you have confessed that my daughter would be the best wife for many, and yet you did not include yourself."

"Father..." Hinata started, but Hiashi simply ignored her.

"Is it because despite of what you said, you still think she's not good enough for you?"

"_Wait! You cannot go in there!"_ a voice shouted from outside, and before someone could move an inch the door of the living room was pushed aside rather brutally.

"Stop!"

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata gasped as she stared at the newcomer, who was standing by the doorway, wheezing and sweating. He looked like he had just run for miles...

"What are you doing here?" Hiashi questioned as he stared at the blond, his scowl deepening as seconds rolled by. "This is a private meeting. Your presence is not welcomed."

"Ah, I don't care about what you think!" Naruto exclaimed after taking in enough air to speak up, and he swiftly pointed a finger at the Head of the Clan. "I am here to stop this arranged marriage! This show cannot go on!"

"Do you have something important to tell us?" Hiashi questioned, his tone of voice growing more authoritative with each word, "Because if not, then I have to ask you to leave. Do not force me to use boorish methods."

"Ah, all of your methods are rude!" Naruto exclaimed, still without lowering his finger, and while Sasuke sighed at the whole scene, Hinata simply continued staring at the blond. What could Naruto be doing there? Was Sakura there was well? Had something happened? "And I am here to stop this joke once and for all!"

"Yes, you have already announced that." Hiashi commented, his scowl still growing deeper, "I understand you wish to make a statement. I'm waiting for you to finally tell us what brought you here."

"_This_ is what brought me here!" Naruto said, finally lowering his finger only to raise his other hand, and reveal the paper he had been holding the whole time. "This is a contract! The same contract Hinata told me about!"

"Eh?" was all Hinata managed to utter while both Sasuke and Hiashi kept silent.

"This is a contract that speaks of a marriage between two Leaf Clans." Naruto continued, "The most prominent ones. After I found it, I read my mother's diaries! It took me a while, but I managed to find the one where she speaks of an arranged marriage! An arranged marriage between the Namikaze Clan and the Hyuuga Clan!"

"Namikaze..." Hinata heard Sasuke whisper from beside her while Hiashi simply continued staring at Naruto. Then, before someone could understand what was going on, the Head of the Hyuuga Clan snickered.

"Do you really expect me to let my daughter marry you of all people?" he questioned, and everyone turned to him, "Regardless of your bloodline, you're still a container, and as such, you are one of the few who will never marry my daughter."

"I don't care about the damn contract!" Naruto stated, rage clear in his voice, and Hinata widened her eyes slightly in surprise, "I just wanted to ask Sasuke something. Who arranged your copy? Did you find one when you went to the Uchiha Compound, or was Hiashi who gave you one?"

"The Head of the Hyuuga Clan gave me one." Sasuke answered, his emotionless eyes locked with Naruto's blazing orbs. "And although I never questioned that decision, I always found it quite odd. After all, since the contract speaks only about the heirs of the Clans, I could not be one of the parts."

"Because of Itachi-san..." Hinata added in her quiet voice, and Sasuke glanced at her before nodding. Then, the heiress turned to Hiashi, "Father, even after all this...are you still not ready to accept our decision?"

"Why is it that your father is the one who gets the last word?" Naruto asked all of a sudden, and Hinata turned to him, "This is about your life! Yours and Sasuke's! You two are the only ones who get to decide what happens or doesn't happen! If you guys don't want to marry one another then just don't!"

"If that proves out to be a genuine contract, then you and Hinata-san are the ones who will have to debate about the arranged marriage." Sasuke commented suddenly, and Naruto blinked at that as he stared at his friend, "After all, if that is a real contract, then you are the one who is supposed to wed Hinata-san."

Thankfully, due to the seriousness of the subject, Hinata managed to stop herself from blushing.

"And it doesn't matter what others say," Sasuke continued as he gazed at Hiashi again, "Although I must admit I am curious to know; Hiashi-sama, you had to be aware of the fact I did not have a contract, and that such proved that my Clan was not the one mentioned in the so-called prophecy. That not to mention that you knew I am not the first born. Then, why did you chose me out of all the other Clans that exist in Konohagakure?"

"You'd be the Head of the Uchiha Clan, and the Head of the Military Police." Hiashi explained, a frown still on his face, "And you're also a prodigy. I know that regardless of everything that happened in the past, you'd be more than capable to protect my daughter. Also, you'd help her improve in many aspects of her life."

"I'd help her improve?" Sasuke repeated before he smirked, and Hinata blinked at his behaviour. "Right..."

"But with this setback I should tell all of you," Hiashi proceeded, behaving as if he had not heard Sasuke's words, "I will not allow my daughter to marry someone like you, Uzumaki Naruto."

"What the?"

"In spite of of whom your parents were, and despite of the fact that you are indeed the heir of the Namikaze Clan, Hinata is still not going to marry you." Hiashi finished, his eyes narrowing as he spoke the last words.

"So, if it was Sasuke, you couldn't disregard the so-called prophecy, but since it's me, you don't even want to think about it." Naruto hissed as he closed his free hand into a tight fist, "But you know what? Whatever! I would never do what you were trying to do anyway! I would never force Hinata marry someone she doesn't even like!"

"Ah, but you are still holding rather tightly to that contract of yours, are you not?" Hiashi questioned, and Naruto looked down at the paper he was still holding. Hinata did the same, but before her brain could even process one thought, Naruto snorted.

"Man, you're really worried I may use this to force Hinata to marry me, aren't you?" Naruto asked, amusement clear in his voice, and it was then that the turned to Hiashi. "But I just said it; I would never force Hinata to marry me. Besides, she kind of deserves someone better than me."

"Na—" Hinata felt her breath get stuck in her throat when Naruto suddenly raised the letter again, and before someone could stop it, he ripped it in two. As she watched him ripping the paper into smaller pieces, Hinata could not help but wonder if it would be alright to just stand up, rush to Naruto's side, and simply confess that she truly wanted to marry him.

However, instead of moving one inch, Hinata continued occupying her seat, her ashen orbs observing as the already small pieces of paper continued to be tore apart.

"Here, this is my gift for you." Naruto eventually spoke up again, and Hinata silently watched as he threw the papers in the air. And for a split of a second the small pieces of paper resembled to snowdrops...small and beautiful snowdrops...

"Now this circus is over." Naruto announced before he looked away from Hiashi to stare at both Sasuke and Hinata, "And both of you are free to follow your own dreams."

With those words, Naruto turned around, and walked away. Timidly, Hinata gazed at Sasuke, who simply glanced back at her before nodding. Then, without even bothering to say a word, Hinata stood up, and rushed after Naruto.

One by one all pieces of the letter Naruto had ripped apart fell onto the wooden floor, Sasuke watching them with attentive eyes. And for second, the Uchiha could not help but think that once the last piece of paper settled down, then his and Hinata's freedom would finally begin.

**To Be Continued…**

* * *

**Q: **Damn, it was about time Kiba and Shino appeared. It took you long enough. Are they going to show up again?

**A: **Yes, I had been wondering about those two as well, and to be honest I pretty much added them on a whim. When I came up with the scenes for the last chapter, Kiba and Shino did not make part of it. However, since most of you started asking me about them, I decided to change everything on the last second. I am just really happy you guys liked the idea. As for the question "are they going to show up again?" well, only time will tell. Thank you for everything everyone! Oh, and thanks to all those who let me know if they wanted for Kakashi and Mesi to either have a boy or a girl (or even twins as some of you suggested). Thank you!


	40. The Thorns of Happiness

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

Okay people, although I am having some trouble with the next chapter, I decided it would be all right to post this one now. Thankfully, I'll be able to finish the next chapter within next week. Wish me luck!

Also, once again, I want to apologize for the grammatical errors you keep finding in this story. I swear I am doing my best to correct them, but occasionally I tend to ponder about certain words in my mother language, and not in English. I am really sorry about those.

Moreover, there are a few reviewers whose reviews I will reply as soon as I can. Some of you have commented about a few things that made me think about my story's progress, but due to work it's kind of hard for me to find time to write the replies. I apologize for that.

Anyway, I'll just shut up for now. I hope you like this new chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 39**

_The Thorns of Happiness_

He had never thought there would actually be a day when he would not be excited about entering inside his much-loved restaurant. In fact, he had never thought the day when he would dread to be with his team mate would ever arrive either.

And yet there he was, standing by the door of his favourite barbecue restaurant, pondering if he should or not go inside. If he did, then he would be forced to face the soreness he had been trying to deal with, but if he turned around, and walked away then he would be nothing more than a coward.

Taking in a deep breath, Choji managed to curl the corners of his lips upwards into a miserable joyful smile before he gave one step forward. As he struggled not to think about what was going to happen in a matter of minutes, Choji entered inside the restaurant, and his eyes immediately found the person he was going to meet.

It was amazing, but despite of everything that had happened between the two of them, he always managed to spot her in a crowd.

And heavens, she looked absolutely breathtaking...

Almost as if sensing his gaze, one pair of crystalline-blue orbs turned his way. Long blonde tresses started dancing around as a cold wind entered inside the restaurant through the window next to her. He had indeed been foolish to think they would actually work as a couple.

"Choji!" Ino called out as she raised a hand in the air, and once again, the young man took a deep breath. Without bothering to wave back at her, Choji made his way towards their usual table before he sat down, across from his team mate. "I'm so glad you came! I was a little worried about the possibility of you not showing up."

"I didn't plan to." Choji answered as he crossed his arms against his chest, "But I didn't enjoy the thought of leaving you by yourself so... Anyway, what do you want to tell me?"

"I hope you don't mind, but I asked for a hot pot while I was waiting for you." Ino commented as she waved a hand towards the table, and Choji looked down. Curious, he had not even noticed the simmering hot pot and the side dishes.

"Ino..."

"Oh, c'mon, we're at a barbecue restaurant! The least we can do is to eat something while we talk." Ino declared as she grasped her chopsticks, and Choji let out an inaudible sigh. Regardless of how surprising it could sound, the truth was that he was not that hungry. "C'mon, eat it. You can even have the meat!"

"Ino, why did you ask me to come here?" Choji asked as he watched the girl reach out for an egg dumpling. For a moment, Ino just had fun devouring the egg with a grace that belonged only to her before she decided to put her chopsticks down.

"I wanted to talk to you about what happened in your place."

"I don't want to talk about that." Choji promptly retorted as he shook his head, and Ino stared at him directly in the eye, "Let it go, Ino, talking about it isn't going to change a thing. Besides, it's too troublesome to think about it."

"No! I can't let it go!" Ino exclaimed as she shook her head, "You told me you wanted to break up! And I get it now why you wanted to! But Choji, I don't like Sasuke-kun that way anymore. I...All I wanted was to see Sakura snap out of her depression!"

"I know that." Choji responded, "And I also know you wanted to help Sasuke too, but, you went too far. You may say you don't like him anymore, but your actions prove otherwise. You will always like Sasuke. People say that you can never forget your first love, and I can apply that to your case."

"But that's unfair! I told you! All I wanted was to help Sakura and Sasuke-kun! I never thought about myself!" Ino exclaimed, "I always thought you, above everyone else, would understand my decision and support me!"

"And I did support you." Choji replied, "I always did, but the thing is that you became so obsessed with helping Sakura and Sasuke, that you forgot about everything else. Ever since Sasuke came back that you haven't thought about anyone else other than him. You even used lies to get away from our appointments."

"What? When did I do that?"

"You know the answer to that question." Choji responded as he shook his head slightly, and Ino looked away. "Don't make me say it because I know you won't like it, and I'm really not in the mood to get into an argument with you."

"I didn't call you here to fight either." Ino immediately confessed, "I asked for you to come here because I want to get together with you. So, please, don't say you want to break up..."

"I already did, and no matter how hard it may be, I'm not going to change my opinion."

"Please, Choji..." Ino almost begged, and before the boy could understand what was going on, the girl leaned forward and rested a hand on his crossed arm, "I know...I know I was an idiot, and I understand that I should have paid more attention to you, but...please don't end with everything just because of one mistake."

"Had it been one mistake, I wouldn't have broken up with you." Choji affirmed as he looked at the girl in the eye at same time he tried not to pay much attention to the hand that was still resting on his arm, "Ino, really, let's not talk about this."

"But it hurts me so much!" Ino finally burst out, ignoring the way various heads turned her way, "I know I hurt you, and I was really surprised when I felt so down after we broke up, but it hurts so much!"

"Ino," Choji started, this time not really bothering to hide his tiredness, and the girl timidly looked at him, "I am sorry, but I don't think you're allowed to talk about pain. You never really liked me, did you? I mean, I know you only accepted to go out with me because you never expected me to be serious about you."

"That's not true!"

"Do you know how much it hurt to be constantly reminded that I'll never be like Sasuke?" Choji continued, ignoring what Ino had just cried out, "Do you know how hard I tried to make you happy even though I knew I'd never be the man of your life?"

"Choji..."

"No, Ino," the boy proceeded as he shook his head, "Despite of what you may say, this is not going to change. We are team mates, we are friends, but we are not going to start dating again. I cannot do it."

"But Choji, I love you!"

A pregnant silence followed Ino's confession. Choji could vaguely hear all the other customers talking and eating as minutes passed by, and he could hardly sense the fragrance that was emanating from the hot pot in front of him.

All he could see was Ino's crystalline orbs, and feel the warmth that was radiating from her body.

"I don't know if you realized it," Choji eventually heard himself to say, and it was only then that he noticed the lump that had grown in his throat. A lump he forced himself to ignore, "but what you just said wasn't a confession. It was raw cruelty, and you are not allowed to say it again."

With that said, Choji stood up, and without even bothering to glance one last time at Ino, he left the restaurant. Ino, on the other hand, simply watched him walking away until he stepped through the front door. Then, ignoring the way her hair was concealing her face, Ino dropped her head, her eyes locked with the hot pot in front of her.

She could not believe there was nothing else she could do.

She could not believe things were going to end just like that...

...Just when she had realized her real feelings.

Raising her head, Ino gazed at the front door of the restaurant again, and rested her hands on her lap before she closed them into tight fists. No, there was no way she was going to let it end like that. Not when she now knew that Choji was the best choice for her...even better than the great Uchiha Sasuke.

There was simply no way.

"You'll see, Choji," Ino mumbled to herself as she continued staring at the door, "_Keizoku wa chikara nari_. Perseverance is power." (1)

* * *

_I have told Naruto-kun...about the arranged marriage..._

The sound of a paper being unfolded was distantly heard through the empty corridors of the library. Pale fingers were grasping the white paper rather tightly while one pair of hazel orbs scanned the content of the letter.

Hana really did not know what it was; if it was destiny, karma, cause and effect, but whatever it was, it was taunting her the best it could. And to think she had only just decided to follow her best friend's footsteps and finally be honest with herself.

But now she was no longer sure if she should do what she had planned to do...

As she bit her lower lip, Hana continued reading the letter until she reached the bottom. For a long time, her attention was locked with the signature that had been scribbled at the end before she licked her lips and looked away.

It was probably karma. She had, after all, decided to do a bunch of negative things, and now she was paying the price. There was really no other way to explain it. She was paying for her mistakes, and there was really no way to escape from that punishment.

Letting out a tired sigh, Hana leaned against the back of her chair, and focused her attention on the letter again. Interesting, a while ago she would have been dying to receive that message...days ago she would have taken that letter as a sign from heavens above for her not to do anything…

…But now it was different.

She had been so sure about what to do next...she had been gathering all of her courage and determination to give the next step, and now...

...Now it almost as if fate was telling her 'you decided too late'.

Groaning, Hana closed the letter, and put it inside of her coat's pocket. Then, she crossed her arms on the table before she rested her head against them.

_Actually, I wanted to thank you, Hana-chan._

_Eh? Thank me? Why? It's not as if I did anything. Seriously, Hina-chan, you're the one who deserves all the praises._

_No, you're wrong. You see, without your support I probably wouldn't have told Naruto-kun about everything. You were the one who listened to me, and gave me advice when I asked for it. I know I wouldn't have done what I did if it hadn't been for your help._

Hana felt her heart skip a beat when Hinata's words echoed through her mind, and she closed her eyes tightly. What was the point in supporting Hinata...in helping her best friend, and receive all that gratitude when she could not even follow her own advices?

Was she truly that pathetic?

Still with her head resting in her arms, Hana started running her fingers through her wild curls. She truly did not know what to do now; one side of her was still fired up, and ready to accomplish her plan, but the other side of her...the cautious and feeble side was not so sure anymore.

Not only that, but after reading the letter, Hana had been unable not to remember the moment when Temari had come to talk to her. The moment when Temari had revealed how sure she was about her and Shikamaru becoming a couple.

"This is so troublesome..." Hana mumbled to herself, but before she could raise her head, she heard a noise coming from behind her.

"I believe that's my line." a male voice commented, and Hana paused for a moment before she took a deep breath. Calmly, the brunette straightened up, and looked over her shoulder. "So, how's it going? It's been a while since we last talked."

"Yeah..." Hana answered as she crossed her arms loosely against her chest at same time she leaned against the back of the chair, "It has indeed been a while..."

"Oh? What's this? You're looking kind of down. Did something happen?" Shikamaru inquired as he pulled a chair, and sat down next to the girl. Glancing at him, Hana shook her head before looking away. "Man, you should know by now that you suck at lying."

"Sorry..."

"And now you're apologizing?" Shikamaru asked as he raised an eyebrow slightly at same time he turned to the girl, who refused to make eye-contact, "Seriously, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I'm just...tired, that's all." Hana eventually decided to say, "I haven't been resting that well, especially since the Academy's simulation only ended today. We were rushing everywhere. Sakura-san and Ino-san had it rough too, because they were in charge of the triage."

"Hmm, it's no easy job." Shikamaru mumbled as a reply, and Hana turned to him.

There was something different about him. He was slouching slightly, which Hana took as a sign that something was truly bothering him. He usually had such a distinctive posture, especially when playing shoji. A posture she had come to love observing...

"Is there something bothering you?" Hana asked in a desperate attempt to throw certain thoughts to the back of her mind, and Shikamaru blinked at her sudden question. "And don't say nothing's going on either. You're as bad at lying as I am."

"Well...I can't say it's exactly bothering me..." Shikamaru started to say, "Although I must admit it's a rather troublesome topic. I really don't know why people keep choosing me to occupy the seat of awkwardness."

"Maybe it's because you're the best there is to occupy it?" Hana teased, feeling her muscles relax as their conversation proceeded. "But tell me; who's troubling you this time?"

"I'm not sure I should tell you."

"Oh no, you are so not going to escape from this conversation now. You know I hate it when you start a topic, and just change it all of a sudden." Hana warned, her arms still crossed against her chest as she turned on her seat in order to face Shikamaru. "What's going on?"

"Ah, it's just a troublesome decision I have to make." Shikamaru eventually explained, and Hana nodded, "I really can't believe she did that though. I mean, she told me I'd have time to chose, but she knew that I'd end up accepting her offer."

"Okay, who are we talking about?" Hana asked, and Shikamaru let out a sigh before he stared at her in the eye.

"Temari."

For Hana, time froze when the name from the ninja from Sunagakure echoed through the corridors around her. Shikamaru, not noticing the way the brunette next to him had tensed up all of sudden, simply turned to her as well, and rested an arm on the table.

"We went out for dinner, and she told me that the Sand's Council wants to find Kazekage-sama a wife, and that they came up with a meeting as an excuse to invite various women." Shikamaru continued to elucidate, "And apparently, she and Kankurou have to find dates."

Hana felt her heart skip an extremely painful beat, but she still managed to keep her eyes locked with Shikamaru's.

"And Temari eventually told me she wants me to go with her to that gathering." Shikamaru finished, and Hana felt her breath get stuck on her throat. Oh why...? Why had she waited for so long to be honest? Why had she decided to wait and hope for the best when she had Temari on the other side, gradually advancing towards Shikamaru?

Why had she been so stupid?

"O-Oh..." Hana managed to utter only to wince slightly at the way her voice trembled, and Shikamaru nodded, "So you two...if you accept her invitation, then you will be Temari-san's date, right?"

"Yeah, that pretty much summarizes everything." Shikamaru responded with a short nod, "But...you know, after she told me about what the Suna's Council is planning, and after she confessed that she'd like for me to go as her date..."

For some reason, Hana could not help but sense that she was not going to enjoy hearing what Shikamaru was about to say.

"I think I'll make it official."

Hana had to stop herself from clutching the front of her chest. For a split of a second, her eyes watered up as all oxygen abandoned her lungs. Everything around her disappeared as Hana focused all of her energy in trying to keep her tears at bay. There was absolutely no way she was going to cry in front of him, because crying would ruin everything.

It also did not matter if her heart had just fallen into pieces right in front of him.

It really did not matter that her secret plans had just been burnt by such sincere declaration.

All that matter was that she had to smile for him...

...She had to be happy for him.

"What do you think?" Shikamaru asked all of a sudden, his intelligent eyes locked with Hana's broken ones, "I mean, I know it's probably not the best time, but I think...I think it won't hurt to try. She's all troublesome and all that, but still..."

"I think that..." Hana paused when she felt her heart skip another beat, and she forced the corner of her lips to curl upwards into the most excruciating smile ever, "I think Temari-san will be happy to hear that. She's...she's exactly what you need..."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Shikamaru questioned, but instead of answering, Hana simply shook her head before she stood up from her chair.

"I...I'm sorry, but I..." the medical-nin closed her hands into tight fists while keeping her arms folded against her chest, and she dropped her gaze when Shikamaru tried to lock his eyes with hers, "I really have to go now. I...I'm really happy for you so...congratulations."

With that said, Hana walked past the seat Shikamaru was occupying, and without bothering to look behind her, she made her way towards the front doors of the library.

It was only when she felt the cold autumnal breeze kissing her cheeks that Hana realized she was crying.

* * *

He did not understand what was going on.

He had seen Hiashi, Hinata and Sasuke walk inside the living-room, closing the door behind them. They had stayed there, in silence, for the longest time, and Neji had been tempted to approach someone else from the Clan, and inquire about what could be going on. However, before he could even blink, Naruto had appeared from out of nowhere, and stormed inside the living-room.

All Neji had time to notice was another member of the Hyuuga Family yelling that Naruto could not go inside.

From that moment on, parts of the conversation started echoing through the hallway since Naruto had left the door opened. Hanabi, after glancing at Neji, immediately turned to the member of the Clan that had chased after Naruto, and ordered him to go away.

Apparently Hanabi, much like him, did not wish for anyone else to hear the conversation.

"What do you think we should do?" Hanabi asked as she approached Neji again, "I really want to know what's going on. I mean...my future depends of that debate!"

"Hanabi-sama, I advise you not to go in there." Neji answered as he stared at his youngest cousin, a blank expression on his face, and the girl frowned at his comment. "Trust in Hinata-sama. She will fight for your future, and as well everybody else's."

"How can you be so sure?" Hanabi hissed, and she crossed her arms against her chest, "Hinata-nee-chan can't really say _no_ to anyone. It's irritating sometimes, how she always tries to please everyone, and never get into fights."

"That may be true, but I believe Hinata-sama has learnt how to become the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan." Neji responded, and he glanced in direction of the living-room's door when he heard Naruto exclaim something, "She will manage to overcome this obstacle so, please, stay here, and wait."

"Fine..." Hanabi answered, but she immediately rested her eyes on the living-room's door, and bit the interior of her cheek. Neji, on the contrary, simply leaned against the wall next to him, closed his eyes, and waited.

Neji really did not know how much time passed ever since Naruto had stormed inside the Compound, but he did open his eyes again when he heard someone rushing out of the living-room. Looking to his side, Neji watched as Naruto ran away only to be followed, moments later, by Hinata herself.

"What the...?" was all Hanabi had time to utter, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Silently, she gave one step forward, but before she could do anything else, Sasuke appeared by the doorway. Glancing in direction of the Uchiha, Neji found himself staring directly at a pair of onyx-black orbs.

After a few seconds, without even nodding, Sasuke looked straight ahead, and also walked away.

"What on earth happened in there?" Hanabi asked before she glanced at Neji, who simply glanced back at her. Then, before one of the two could do something, Hiashi appeared by the doorway, his posture revealing the authority he held in his hands.

Then three words escaped from his lips.

"You did well."

Neji was conscious he would never find out if Hiashi knew that he had heard those words.

On the meantime, Hinata was running through the streets of Konoha. She had lost Naruto as soon as she had walked through the gates of the Hyuuga Compound. She had already gone to the ramen restaurant Naruto loved, and she had even gone to the Hokage Monument, but with no luck.

It was almost as if Naruto had vanished.

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata whispered as she stopped walking in the middle of a road, and then she closed her eyes. She needed to find him...she needed to talk to him...she needed to be with him... "_Byakugan."_

Without moving her head, Hinata started to scan the whole area around her. Quickly yet with care, Hinata observed every inch of road and the smallest of all cracks in an old building's wall. Thankfully it did not take long for Hinata to find Naruto, and when she did, the girl almost smacked herself on the forehead.

Of course!

After deactivating her _kekkei genkai,_ Hinata turned left and rushed as fast as she could in direction of her target. She honestly could not believe she had forgotten to check such place, especially after spending one whole month there.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata gasped as she finally reached a closed front door, and she gently yet firmly knocked against the wooden surface. "Naruto-kun, it's me; Hinata."

When no one answered, the Hyuuga heiress dropped her arm, and stared at the closed door. She knew Naruto was at home, so why was he not opening the door? Could it be that he just did not want to deal with her after everything that happened? No, Naruto was not like that, and Hinata knew it, but then, why?

"Naruto-kun..." Hinata called out again, and she involuntarily rested the palm of her right hand against the front door of the apartment. After waiting for two more minutes, the girl decided to speak again. "I just...wanted to thank you for everything you did. I am really sorry for not telling you about it sooner, and I...I just wanted to say..."

Pausing, Hinata looked down for a second before she raised her orbs to gaze at the hand that was still resting against the door. She wondered if Naruto was standing on the other side; she knew she could use _Byakugan_ to find out, but Hinata simply refused to do it.

That was the moment when she would simply have to believe that he was listening to her.

"I...I never expected for you to actually have a contract as well." she started, not really sure of how she was supposed to voice her thoughts, "I mean...despite of everything that ended up happening I...I am really thankful for your support, and...I wanted to say that..."

Trailing off, Hinata dropped her gaze again, and she quietly lowered her hand. Then, as she crossed her arms against her chest in uneasiness, the girl looked at the floor through the corner of her eyes.

"I really miss...being your flatmate." Hinata decided to say, knowing that it would good if she just blurted out her thoughts to a door, "I hope that one day we'll be able to spend some time together again and also..."

Licking her lips, Hinata gazed at the door again, and took in a deep breath.

"Although I am happy for not having to marry Sasuke-san, I...I..." pressing her arms harder against her chest, Hinata vaguely felt warmth spreading through her cheeks, "I hope that one day we'll find the time to get to know each other better because I would really like that."

After spending a few seconds just standing on the same spot, Hinata finally decided to walk away. Had the girl decided to use _Byakugan_, then she would have spotted Naruto, inside the apartment, sitting on the floor with his back resting against the front door.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

**Q:** So, are you going to give everybody's a happy ending by the time you complete this story? I mean, the ending is coming soon right?

**A: **As a matter of fact, yes, the ending is pretty much around the corner. However, the answer shall be _no_ when it comes to happy endings. Still do not forget there's a sequel coming out, so keep your fingers crossed!

* * *

(1): Literally, _keizoku wa chikara nari_ means continuance (also) is power/strength. The meaning of that saying is: don't give up. Just continuing to hold on will yield/reveal strength and power.


	41. Gardenias & Shogi

**Disclaimer:** _Masashi Kishimoto_ is the creator of **Naruto**. As for me, aside from my characters and the plot, I own nothing.

* * *

I am so, _so_ sorry for taking so long to update _Welcome Home_, but it was not for lack of trying, I swear! I mean, you won't believe how many times I re-wrote this filler. It's just that it never seemed right! And the most frustrating was that I was really, _really_ dying to write this down.

And now I am slightly afraid you people may not enjoy the next nineteen pages. I guess I should keep my fingers crossed, ne? Oh, and before I forget; I should warn you that if you do not like Shikamaru and Hana's relationship then you really should not read this. If you do decide to continue reading the chapter, then please restrain yourself from speaking poorly about it just because it's mainly about Shikamaru and Hana. After all, you were warned in advance.

Well, thank you for the attention, and once again, I apologize for the long wait.

* * *

**Chapter 40**

_Gardenias and Shogi_

With a shaky breath, Fuzen Hana sat down on her bed, and stared down at the letter she had been holding ever since she had entered inside her bedroom. Biting her lower lip, the brunette started re-reading the letter again, thoughts running through her mind at full speed.

When she reached the bottom of the letter, her eyes fell upon the signature that was scribbled at the end. Her eyes always rested on it, observing the careful way the name had been signed. A named she knew too well, and that forced memories to emerge from the back of her mind.

Closing her eyes, Hana dropped her hands so that they were resting against her legs, and allowed for recollections to conquer her body completely.

* * *

One pair of hazel orbs kept staring at the reflection in the mirror. The reflection had become distorted a long time ago, but the blank eyes simply continued staring at it, taking in every inch of skin. Red marks could be seen starting on the shoulders and running down towards the elbows; marks left behind by sharp nails and by an irate soul that simply had no voice to howl.

_Yoh! Fatty! Why don't you just roll down the stairs?_

_Did you know? I was told Fatty is planning on telling Hiro-kun she likes him. Ahaha! Can you believe it?_

_As if someone like Hiro-kun would ever look at her. She's so ugly!_

As she struggled to hold back a sob, the girl hid her face with her arms, her hands closed into tight fists. As she struggled to ignore the voices that were surrounding her shaking figure, the girl crouched in front of the mirror, half of her figure hidden by a fluffy white towel.

All she wanted was to incinerate those voices to ashes...

All she wanted was to run away and forget...

_Hey Fatty how's it going?_

_Man, have you ever thought about losing some weight? You really need it._

_Look, look, she's the one who follows Hiro-kun everywhere. Poor, lunatic girl..._

Unconsciously, the girl dropped her arms, and the fingers of her right hand made way towards her left shoulder. Then, as she pierced her skin with her nails, the girl started running her fingers down her arm, leaving fresh red marks behind.

She wanted to hate everyone. She wanted to despise all of her so-called friends for taunting her about something she had no control over. She wished she could just scream and cry, and finally release all the rage she had locked inside of her body.

All she wanted was to be free to be who she was.

Quietly, the girl looked at her reflection in the mirror, and slowly stood up from the floor. Her towel was now carefully resting on her hips, leaving her torso completely exposed to the summer's night. Gently, she rested her left hand on her right shoulder, and run her palm down her arm, her eyes observing the fading red scratches.

And to think she had actually succeeded in losing some weight. Sure, with her physical structure it was a little difficult to notice those subtle changes, but she _had_ managed to lose weight. But still, why could no one see it?

Why could no one compliment her?

Raising her orbs to gaze at her face in the mirror, the girl tilted her head to the side when she saw how her eyes were filled with unshed tears. Taking in a deep breath, the girl forced herself to look away, in direction of her bed. On the mattress was her pyjamas, and without bothering to glance at her reflection again, the girl made her way towards the bed.

Moments later, after brushing her hair, and make sure she looked presentable, the girl walked out of the bedroom. She could hear her mother walking around in the living-room, but before she could even think about going to see her mother, a voice echoed through the hallway.

"_So, I was wondering if you'd allow Hana to go."_

That voice, she knew it too well. It was a male voice, deep and strong, which always seemed to pull her into a protective embrace, and for a moment the girl stood quiet. What could he be doing there? They had not planned to meet. In fact, last time she had spoken to him, he had told her that he was getting ready for his new mission.

Looking down at herself, the girl sighed when she realized she had decided to wear a pair of shorts and a matching long-sleeved shirt. Oh well, she refused to go back to her bedroom; besides, it was far too warm to wear pants along with the long-sleeved shirt she was wearing.

"_I think she would be delighted to go." _the girl heard her mother comment after a short pause, and as she bit her lower lip, the girl made her way towards the living-room's door. Then, after taking a deep breath, she stepped inside, her left hand resting on the doorframe.

"I knew it was you!" she exclaimed, her eyes falling on the figure of a young man instantaneously. One pair of forest green orbs immediately glanced her way, the seriousness in them being replaced by amusement in a split of a second.

"Oh look at who she is. I thought you had drowned in the bathtub or something." the boy observed with a smirk, and the girl rolled her eyes before she walked inside the living-room. "I was starting to wonder if I should just rush inside the bathroom."

"I'd kill you if you did." the girl promptly retorted, and the boy let out a warm laugh before he run his fingers though his long russet-brown locks. "But anyway, what are you doing here at this hour? Weren't you supposed to be getting ready for your next mission?"

"Ah, but it's a mission that brought me here." the boy said, the corner of his lips curling upwards into a smile, and the girl raised an eyebrow, "You see, Hana, it was decided that, if you accept, you are to go to Konohagakure."

"I beg your pardon?" Fuzen Hana blurted out before she could stop herself, a puzzled expression on her face. Confusedly, the girl turned to her mother, who had been watching the two teenagers with a pensive look, her dark orbs twinkling with excitement. "Did he just say what I think he just said?"

"What do you say, Hana?" her mother, Fuzen Akemi, asked with a kind smile on her face, "You'll even have a place to stay in if you decide to go. I can talk to your aunt, and make arrangements for you to stay with her family during your sojourn in Konohagakure. What do you say?"

Glancing at the boy that was observing her with attentive eyes, Hana swallowed hard. A few minutes before she had been wondering if she would ever be able to escape from that place, and now there it was; the opportunity she had been waiting for, knocking on her door.

"But...why did they suddenly decide that? I mean, I'm only a medical-nin." Hana observed as she stared at the boy, a mask of suspicion on her face, "What do they expect me to do while in Konohagakure?"

"You are going to a medical convention." the boy explained, and Hana tilted her head to the side at same time she let out a 'eh?'. "And if you want to know, I was supposed to go too, but with the other mission it's impossible for me to accompany you. However, since this is about a medical conference the Council decided to send you as Takigakure's representative."

"What? You cannot possibly be serious!" Hana exclaimed as she widened her eyes slightly in surprise, "Me, working as Takigakure's representative? C'mon Hiro, that would never work, you know that!"

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. If you go, then everything will be fine. Besides you love to learn about other countries' medical procedures." the boy explained, "And if the Leaf Council agrees, then when you return both countries shall exchange data about medicinal events."

"That not to mention this mission will do wonders to your training." Akemi added, and Hana turned to her, "And besides, if anything goes wrong, you'll either be told to come back or Hiro-kun will pick you up himself."

Hana turned to Tamotsu Hiro at those words, and had to stop herself from rolling her eyes when she saw the smug smirk on his face. She honestly did not understand why people kept putting the two of them together because, seriously, although Hiro was extremely hot, he knew exactly what to do to get to her nerves.

And besides, they would never work as a couple...

"Have you talked to father about it?" Hana inquired as she gazed back at her mother, who lightly shook her head.

"It will take three more days for your father to return from his mission, and you must be on your way to Konohagakure by then." Akemi pointed out, and Hana blinked at that. "I will explain everything to your father when he gets back, but the question now is; do you want to go?"

"I think it would do you some good." Hiro spoke up, and Hana looked at him only to watch his lips curling upwards into a smile, "Besides, maybe a change of scenarios is exactly what you need."

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" Hana asked as she rested her hands on her hips, and Hiro laughed at her question. Ignoring him completely, the medical-nin turned to her mother, "Would I be staying with Choji if I were to go to Konoha?"

"Of course!" Akemi answered with a smile, "And I'm sure your aunt and uncle would be delighted to have you there as well. Does that mean you accept to go?"

"You'll have to leave tomorrow morning." Hiro added all of a sudden, and Hana gazed at him again before she focused her attention on her mother. Although she did not enjoy the idea of leaving her mother behind, Hana could not help but agree with Hiro; leaving for Konohagakure was just what she had been waiting for.

Clenching her hands into fists, Hana took a deep breath, and after biting her lower lip for a few seconds, she smiled.

"Mum, will you help me pack?"

Two hours later Hana could be found zipping her backpack close, but before she could even think about throwing herself at her bed, a faint knock forced her to look behind her. For a moment all the brunette did was stare at the window of her bedroom, but when the knock was heard again, Hana shook her head.

"Will you ever learn how to use the door like normal people do?" Hana scolded after she opened the window, and Hiro emerged from the shadows only to reveal his amused smirk. "I mean, honestly, what if someone sees you?"

"I hardly doubt someone would be able to see me when I'm hiding." Hiro answered, and Hana rolled her eyes at same time she stepped backwards so that the boy had enough space to step inside the bedroom. "And besides, this is just a quick visit. I just wanted to see how you are."

"A quick visit? You were here two hours ago." Hana pointed out, and Hiro chuckled at that statement, "What brought you here, again, exactly? And don't lie to me."

"Geez, you really need your beauty sleep." Hiro observed, but before Hana could come up with something to say, he continued, "Anyway, I just wanted to see how you are. I mean, this is your first time leaving Takigakure, isn't it? And you're going to Konohagakure of all places!"

"Yeah, I can hardly wait." Hana confessed, a smile gradually gracing her pale features, "I can't wait to see my cousin again. Did you know it's been six years since last time I saw him? I don't even know if he remembers that day. My mother wanted to go visit my aunt and uncle while my father was away, and she decided to take me with her. That was probably the first time I saw Choji ever since we were kids!"

"Oh yeah, I remember you telling me something about that a few months ago." Hiro said as he nodded, "So, I guess a special thanks is in order, don't you think? I mean, if it hadn't been for me, then you'd never get this chance so soon, and then-"

"Are you trying to say I'd never be picked if it wasn't for your help?" Hana swiftly interrupted him, but before Hiro could even part his lips to speak, she continued, "Now that's sweet. You know, I was thinking about bringing you a souvenir from Konoha, but now you can just forget it."

"Aw, no, don't do that." Hiro pleaded, and Hana promptly regretted what she had just done. Yes, because if there was something Tamotsu Hiro was really good at that would be the puppy eyes. And the puppy eyes were exactly what he was using on that moment. "What were you planning on buying for me? Can I ask for something?"

_"Hana, are you still awake?" _Akemi's voice echoed from the hallway, and the medical-nin stared at the closed door of her bedroom before she turned to Hiro.

"Although you've always entered in my bedroom through the window, I must say it's time for you to go now. As you know, I have to wake up early tomorrow." Hana teased as she smiled, and Hiro shook his head.

"You're just trying to get rid of me so that I won't pester you about bringing me a gift." he stated, and Hana let out a warm laugh before she motioned for him to walk towards the window. "But I promise you, you'll never see the end of it if you forget about me."

"Fine, fine, I'll bring you something." Hana said as she watched Hiro opening the window, and sit down on the windowsill. "Now go, and I'll see you when I get back from the mission. Until then, just make sure to stay alive."

"Don't worry; I'll make sure you'll have to bear with me for a few, extremely long years." Hiro answered, and Hana smiled at that before she shook her head. Then, after waving in goodbye, Hiro jumped out of the window, quickly disappearing into the darkness.

Silently, Hana gazed outside, taking in all the details she could see among the shadows before she shut the window closed.

* * *

Opening her eyes, Hana stared down at the letter she was still holding before she let out a sigh. Noiselessly, the medical-nin stood up from the mattress, and made her way towards the window in front of her. Gently, Hana pressed her free hand against the glass, and felt a shiver run up her spine when the coldness of the glass contacted with her warm skin.

She could remember her arrival in Konohagakure perfectly well, although it had happened almost two years before. She could remember Choji standing by the South Gates, waving at her while a big smile was gracing his features. She recalled taking in all details of her surroundings as Choji lead her to the Akimichi residence.

Hana remembered the bear-hug her aunt Cho had pulled her into as soon as she had walked through the front door, and the way her uncle Choza had patted her on top of her head. Hana also recalled the way she had felt back then; she could still feel the warmth and love of her relatives pulling her into a amorous embrace.

The medical-nin would also never forget how she gradually started befriending everyone. In fact, Hana could remember quite well that the first Leaf ninja she had met had been the courteous Tenten, who had literally crashed into her when Hana had turned around on a corner, during her quest to find the hospital.

Smiling faintly at the memories, Hana closed her eyes again, and started recalling how she had met everyone else. She had actually met Hyuuga Hinata after the girl had returned from one of her missions, and had been forced to go to the hospital by her team mates, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino.

Never had Hana believed on that day that Hinata would ultimately become her best friend.

Realizing she was involuntarily crumpling the letter she had received, Hana opened her eyes, and stared down at the paper. Then, before she knew it, the girl found herself reminiscing about the moment when one particular person revealed to have enough power to change her life.

* * *

Deep scratches were staining her arms, but that did not stop her from running her nails down her shoulders one more time. Her eyes were locked with her reflection, as always, and even though her vision was clear, she was not exactly observing what she was doing. Instead, all of her attention was centred in her trying to see herself underneath all the flesh and bone that protected her soul.

All of her attention was focused in her trying to find the strength within herself...

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door, and Hana immediately dropped her left hand. Turning to the door, the girl asked for whoever was outside to wait for a moment before she rushed towards her bed. Hastily, she dressed up in a long sleeved black shirt, and after running her fingers through her untamed curls, Hana took a deep breath.

"Yes?" she asked as she opened the door only to come face-to-face with her cousin, "Did something happen?"

"Oh good, you're dressed!" Choji observed, a wide smile gracing his features, and Hana blinked at his enthusiasm. Then, before she could understand what was going on, the boy reached out for her wrist, and started pulling her out of the room, "C'mon! It's a bright day! It's perfect for _hanami_!"

"_Hanami_?" Hana repeated as she blinked, and when Choji nodded, she tilted her head to the side, "I thought you were going to observe the flowers with your friends?"

"Since when does that mean you can't come along?" the boy asked back, and he looked over his shoulder with the smile still on his face. "Ino is going to meet us by the trees. I think she was going to tell Shikamaru to go meet us there too."

Without knowing what else to say, Hana simply let Choji pull her out of the house. She had actually met Yamanaka Ino before, and even though she had yet to discuss it with her cousin, Hana was positive that Choji did not see his female team mate as just a friend. There had been something in the way he had introduced Ino to her when they had first met...something in his goofy smile, and twinkling orbs that lead Hana to believe Choji felt something other than friendship for Ino.

But since that was something they had yet to talk about, Hana decided it would be better to stay quiet for the moment.

"You know, Ino really loves _hanami_." Choji commented all of a sudden, and Hana snapped from her thoughts to gaze at the back of her cousin's head. "She usually doesn't say much, and she's always complaining about something, but you can see she just loves it. I mean, she always smiles at the flowers whenever she thinks no one's watching."

"It seems to me that you have found yourself a new hobby." Hana teased, and Choji looked over his shoulder to look back at her, a confused expression on his face. "Oh, you know what I'm referring to. It seems to me that while I'll be flower viewing, you'll be observing a certain someone instead of the flowers."

"No, you're wrong." Choji quickly mumbled as he looked away, but Hana let out a warm laugh when she saw the red tint that had conquered his cheeks. "I just happened to notice the way Ino looks at the flowers, that's all. I don't observe her or anything."

"Sure you don't." Hana giggled, but when she had been just about to say something else, a warm breeze blew by. Instantaneously, the girl reached out for her wild tresses, and made sure to keep them away from her eyes as she continued walking along with Choji.

Hana never thought that it would be after the wind died down that her life would begin to change.

Feeling the wind growing weaker, Hana released her brown curls, and gazed to her side only to realize that she was staring directly at ume blossoms. And to be honest, Hana had never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

In Takigakure, Hana would usually watch the Yoshino cherry blossoms, and they were indeed breathtaking. However, the ume blossoms were absolutely dazzling as well, and there was something in the way the white petals appeared to be waltzing with the airstream that was just magical.

And it was also then that something else caught Hana's attention.

Turning to her side, Hana observed as young man, who was sitting underneath the shade of one of the trees, carefully observed the _shogi-ban_ that had been neatly placed in front of him. His legs were crossed in Indian-style, his left elbow resting on his leg while he used the palm of his left hand as support for his chin. His right arm was also resting against his leg so that the tips of his fingers were tenderly caressing the surface of the shogi board.

Some people would unconsciously slouch in that position, and yet the young man had his back straight while his eyebrows were puckered in deep concentration. His dark eyes, perceptive and intellectual, were taking in all the wedge-shaped pieces.

Seconds later, the young man finally moved his right hand, and even from afar Hana could see his lips moving as he pronounced one single word: "_ōte". _That courteous move caught Hana completely off guard, especially since the boy was playing all by himself. And yet Hana had to admit she had never seen a picture as attractive as the one in front of her.

Although she could not say it for sure, Hana dared to believe the boy had yet to sense her presence, and thus she took the opportunity to take in all of his movements. He had such a bewitching posture; a pose that only people who were sure of themselves carried with them...

"Oh, look! That's Shikamaru! C'mon! I'll introduce you to my best friend!" Choji exclaimed from out of the blue, and Hana only had time to let out a 'eh?' before the boy grabbed her wrist. And before she knew it, Hana was staring directly in the eye of the boy she had been observing a few seconds before.

"Hey Shikamaru, I didn't know you were already here!" Choji greeted the other boy with his usual liveliness, "I want to introduce you to my cousin, Fuzen Hana. Hana, this is my best friend and team mate, Nara Shikamaru."

"Nice to meet you," Hana said as she bowed, but all Shikamaru did was raise his right hand, and wave unenthusiastically back at her. When she raised her orbs, the girl blinked when she noticed that Shikamaru was no longer carrying the posture she had been observing moments before; on the contrary, his shoulders were now dropped, looking as if he was completely fatigued.

"You do realize I'm going to fall asleep, right?" Shikamaru inquired as he turned to Choji, who chuckled in return, "And then Ino is going to get mad at me for dozing off, and I'll never see the end of it. Why do you keep inviting me for these troublesome things?"

"Ah, c'mon, it's not as if you hate it." Choji pointed out before he wrapped an arm around Hana's shoulders, and pulled her closer to his torso, "And besides, this year we have Hana with us. I need someone to keep an eye on her while Ino scolds me for eating too many snacks."

"Err...when I met Ino she didn't seem to be that bad." Hana decided to comment, and while Choji let out a laugh, Shikamaru sighed before he shook his head.

"Then get ready for the surprise of your life." he advised, and Hana turned to him, "And let me say; welcome to Team Ten's craziness."

* * *

A giggle escaped from Hana's lips as the girl recalled her first _hanami_ in Konohagakure. Just like both Shikamaru and Choji had predicted, Ino did lecture Choji for eating too much before she turned to Shikamaru, and scold him for falling asleep during the flower-viewing.

From that day onwards, things went extremely well. Although the medical conference ended one month after her arrival to Konoha, Hana gladly accepted to stay for a while longer when her uncle mentioned that possibility. During her stay, Hana would work at the hospital while occasionally meeting with Haruno Sakura in order for the two of them to examine more closely the differences in the medicine used by their respective countries.

As she focused her attention in the darkness of the night, Hana found herself pondering about the days she had spent with Team Ten. Although they were completely different from one another, it did not take long for Hana to grow closer to Shikamaru at same time she learnt more about other Leaf ninja, such as Hyuuga Hinata and Rock Lee.

Everything had gone smoothly during her first year in Konohagakure, until the New Year arrived, and along with it the _Ōmisoka_...

* * *

"Thank you for the meal!" both Hana and Choji chorused as they finished eating their toshikoshi-soba and toshikoshi-udon respectively, and both Cho and Choza smiled brightly at them. "Now if you excuse us, we'll be meeting with Ino and Shikamaru for the _hatsumōde._"

"Now that you mention it, it's time for me to go meet up with Inoichi and Shikaku." Choza declared as he also stood up from his seat before he turned to his wife, "You are going to see Yoshino, aren't you?"

"Why yes, we decided to spend some time together." Cho answered as she looked up to gaze at her husband, "It has been a while since we last talked, and we decided that you, men, are not the only ones who should enjoy the last hours of this old year."

Choza simply laughed at that, and both Choji and Hana took the chance to walk out of the house.

"Ne, Choji, are you sure it's alright for me to wear this _komon_?" Hana inquired as she stared at the dark blue kimono she was wearing, which had a gardenia pattern at the bottom of the skirt and sleeves. "I really don't want to risk ruining it."

"Ah, it's fine, don't worry. My mum was quite animated when she saw you wearing it." Choji pointed out, "And besides, that kimono was in my mum's closet for years. It's amazing how new it looks despite of the time it was stuck inside the closet. Now c'mon, I don't want to be late."

"Or Ino is going to smack you?" Hana teased as she did her best to keep up with her cousin's pace despite of the _geta_ sandals she was wearing.

"Yeah, and Shikamaru will most like doze off if we take too long to get there too." Choji added, and Hana let out a laugh because she knew he was just adding Shikamaru to the conversation because he was desperate not to blush. "And you certainly don't want to enter in the New Year with Ino screaming at your ears, do you?"

"No, thank you; that's a faith I'm leaving to you." Hana joked, and she had to bit her lower lip in order to stop herself from laughing when Choji blushed ten shades of red.

It did not take long for the two cousins to reach the bottom of the staircase that lead to the shrine. However, when they had been just about to start climbing the stairs, a female voice forced the two of them to look behind them in confusion.

"Next time, you are so going to Sunagakure with me."

"Temari?" Hana heard Choji ask, and when she gazed at him, she noticed her cousin was carrying a somewhat surprised look on his face. Confused, the girl turned around, and blinked when her eyes fell on an attractive blonde, dressed in a black kimono and a striking red _obi_. And next to her was non-other than Nara Shikamaru himself.

"Hey! I thought you were only coming tomorrow!" Choji exclaimed all of a sudden, forcing the couple to turn to him. "You could have told me Temari was coming today, Shikamaru. I even told Hana she was going to meet Temari tomorrow."

For a moment, Hana simply stared confusedly at Choji. When had he told her that she was going to meet Temari? If she recalled properly all Choji had told her was that Shikamaru's girl was due to arrive on the next day, and that...

Wait. Shikamaru's girl was due to arrive on the first day of the New Year, and apparently Temari was supposed to arrive on that same day so did that mean that...?

Turning to the blonde, Hana found herself taking in all the details of the girl in front of her. When Choji had informed her that Shikamaru's girl was going to arrive, Hana had, despite of all of her attempts not to, ended up picturing how Shikamaru's girlfriend could be. And never, not even in her wildest dreams, had Hana pondered about the possibility of Shikamaru actually dating the strong type of women...

"So this is the famous Hana." Temari stated all of a sudden, and the medical-nin blinked at that, and the ninja from Sunagakure pointed in Shikamaru's direction with her thumb. "This guy here talks a lot about you. I have the feeling I have known you for quite a while."

"Ah, yes, Shikamaru-san and Choji have also mentioned you a few times." Hana responded as she nodded lightly, not really sure of what she was supposed to say and Temari smirked at that observation.

"I must say I'm surprised you even mentioned me at all," she commented as she gazed sideways at Shikamaru, who let out a sigh at same time he shoved his hands inside his pants' pockets.

"Man, stop being so troublesome." he muttered, but all Temari did was smirk again before she gazed at both Choji and Hana.

"So, are we going to the shrine, or are we going some place else?" she inquired, and Choji smiled.

"We're going to the shrine." he answered, "Ino would never forgive me if we entered the New Year, and she didn't get the chance to buy an _omikuji_. I really doubt she believes in that stuff, but Ino enjoys reading the prediction for the New Year."

"Yeah, but I'm going to Kurenai's afterwards." Shikamaru spoke up, "I told her I would. She wants to go visit Asuma's grave tonight, and I promised I'd go with her. Do you want to come too?"

"I wouldn't mind, but I think I'll go there tomorrow." Choji responded, "Thank you for the invitation though. Is Temari going with you?"

"Ah, as if I need to follow this guy everywhere he goes," Temari retorted before someone else could say a word, and it was also then that Ino appeared, wearing a dark purple kimono while her hair was kept in its usual high ponytail.

"Everyone's here already?" she asked, but no one dared to answer. "Why are you all standing there for? C'mon! It will be midnight soon, and I want to be at the temple by then!"

"You and I both. C'mon, let's go." Temari ordered as she started making her way towards the stairs, and Hana was about to do the same when Shikamaru appeared next to her, muttering something under his breath. 'Bossy woman' was all Hana managed to catch, but that was more than enough to bring an amused smile up to her face.

* * *

Giggling once again, Hana returned from her memories, and retreated back to her bed. Once she was sitting down, the girl leaned against the headboard, and pulled her knees up before she rested her hands on her stomach. In her right hand was the letter she had been reading before.

It was gradual the way the girl's smile faded away only to be replaced by a sad frown.

Yes, although her first _Ōmisoka_ in Konohagakure had been fun, the truth was that it did not take long for things to become a little dispiriting for her. It was curious though, how Hana could not exactly pinpoint when things had started to lose their sparkle. They just did...progressively...steadily...

Smiling despondently, Hana pressed the letter against her chest, and closed her eyes. She really could not recall how or why she had fallen for Shikamaru, but the truth was that she had ended up falling for the lazy ninja, and despite of everything that had scared her. They were close friends... Shikamaru was one of her best friends, so there was no way she was going to jeopardize everything just because her heart had decided to love him.

And besides, Shikamaru had Temari.

Temari...

Unconsciously, Hana pressed the letter even harder against her chest, and the girl let out a shaky breath.

Even though she did not know how or why she had fallen for Shikamaru, the truth was that Hana had an idea about when that had happened. With Temari's presence in Konohagakure, Hana had started having less contact with Shikamaru, mostly due to the boy's work. And the truth was that the medical-nin had never once felt troubled about it before.

All that had disturbed her was the fact that during those days...during the time Shikamaru had worked alongside with Temari, Hana had found herself thinking more about him. During those days Hana had found herself pondering about what she could do to see him...

During that time Hana had ached for his company, and thus she had found herself blushing whenever someone mentioned Shikamaru. Her cousin had been the first one to notice that difference, and he had made no effort to not tease her even though he did not know the deepness of her feelings. In fact, Hana was positive he actually loved mentioning Shikamaru only to see her getting all flustered.

But then again, whenever Choji teased her about Shikamaru, Hana would taunt him about Ino, which usually resulted in the two of them quarrelling like two kids.

Chuckling at that, Hana found herself recalling how during Shikamaru's projects with Temari, she had grown closer to Rock Lee. It had also been then that Hana had found out how deep Lee's feelings for Haruno Sakura were...

* * *

"How does a guy invite a girl out?"

Hana chocked on her drink at that question, and she instantly raised a hand towards her lips at same time she put her glass down. Closing her eyes, the girl let out a small cough before she rested her hand against her chest. It was only then that she looked at the person that was sitting across from her.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Oh, you know, how does a guy...ask a girl to go out with him?" the boy repeated, a faint blush tainting his tanned cheeks, and Hana blinked for a second before she smiled cutely at him. Rock Lee was known for his never-ending vigour and brutal force, but Hana was positive she would always remember him as the boy who turned all shades of red and pink whenever he thought of the girl he so dearly cherished.

"Well, I don't know. I think a simple 'would you like to go out with me?' would be suffice, but then again, I'm not a guy." Hana answered with a small shrug, and Lee dropped his head in resignation, "But like I said, I think that if you say 'Sakura-san, would you like to go out with me?' will just do the trick."

"A-Ah, how did you know?" Lee asked as he raised his head at lightning speed, and Hana let out a small giggle before she shook her head.

"You're not as enigmatic as you think you are, Lee-san." she responded, "Besides, it's not as if you haven't told her about your feelings before."

"Well, what can I say? I couldn't help myself." Lee commented with a nonchalant shrug, and Hana shook her head once again. "It's not my fault that she looked - and still looks - like a goddess to me, and I'm too pure hearted to keep that a secret."

"Pure hearted...right..." Hana said as she raised an eyebrow, but when Lee suddenly tried to look like a cute little angel, the girl found it impossible not to laugh at his antics. "Cut it out. I thought you were being serious when you asked me about how a guy is supposed to invite a girl to go out with him."

"Oh no, I was serious." Lee promptly retorted, "I was just trying to brighten the mood a little bit."

"Well, then I apologize, but I have no idea how a guy's mind works." Hana stated, "I think you could very well just go to Sakura-san, and tell her you'd like to go out for a dinner with her, or something, but then again I am not you, and I'm certainly not Sakura-san."

"Well, I know that, but I thought that since you're a girl..." Lee trailed off as he looked away, and Hana found it impossible not to laugh at his awkwardness. Gently, the girl extended a hand forward, and touched Lee's arm from across the table.

"Ne, Lee-san; today you simply came to me, and asked if I'd like to go eat something with you." Hana observed, "It cannot be that difficult for you to do the same with Sakura-san. I mean, you're Konoha's Green Beast, aren't you?"

"Well, it's not my fault you're easy to talk to." Lee muttered under his breath, and once again, Hana laughed warmly at his antics. She had been about to let go of her friend's arm when one voice spoke from behind her, catching Hana by surprise.

"Good night."

Looking over her shoulder, Hana felt her heart skip a beat when her eyes met a pair of familiar orbs. For a moment, all the medical-nin did was stare at Shikamaru while she vaguely heard Lee greeting the couple at same time he nodded slightly.

"It's been a while, Temari-san, how are you?" Hana heard Lee ask, but she still refused to look away from Shikamaru, who was looking back at her as well. It took her a while to realize that she was not only staring, but that she had yet to speak up as well.

"Good night." Hana finally forced herself to say as she tore her eyes away from Shikamaru's face to turn to Temari. "How's work going? The Chunin Exams are getting closer, aren't they?"

"Oh please, let's not talk about work." Temari answered as she continued standing next to the member of the Team Ten, her hands now resting on her hips. "Not when I finally managed to drag this guy away from the library."

"Would you like to eat with us?" Lee invited as he motioned for the two vacant seats next to them, and Shikamaru let out a sigh.

"Nah, that's cool, we'll just go somewhere else." he said, and Temari stared at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Don't be rude. Besides, if you and I eat together then we're bound to start talking about work again, and I really don't want to think about the Exams for at least one hour." she pointed out before she turned to Lee, "I think we'll accept the invitation."

And before Hana knew it, Shikamaru was sitting next to her while Temari was occupying the seat next to Lee. For a moment all the group did was observe their respective menus, although Hana and Lee had already informed the waiter about what they wanted.

"So, although you invited us, we are not interrupting anything, are we?" Temari questioned all of a sudden, and despite of everything, Hana found herself blushing at that question. Lee, on the other hand, casually answered that everything was all right while Shikamaru continued studying his menu.

"Hana-san was just giving me some advices, that's all." Lee explained, and Hana shook her head.

"I would hardly call them 'advices'." she responded, and Lee chuckled before he turned to Temari again.

"Well, let's just say she was giving me some guidelines." he corrected, and Hana had to stop herself from rolling her eyes while Temari simply continued gazing at the two of them. Then, before something else could be said, Shikamaru leaned against the back of his chair.

"Are you ready to order?" he asked as he turned to Temari, who simply nodded in return. Lazily, the genius boy raised a hand, and motioned for the waiter to approach them.

As she watched Shikamaru requesting for his food along with Temari, Hana unconsciously looked down at her elbow. Shikamaru's arm was dangerously close to hers, since the two of them were now resting their arms on the table, and even though she had been struggling not to notice it, it had been impossible for Hana not to realize how warm her right side had grown.

She did not know if her temperature had risen so abruptly just because that was indeed a temperate night or if that had something to do with the young man sitting next to her. But, whatever it was, it was making Hana slightly uncomfortable, and the girl unconsciously shifted in her seat.

"May I ask you a question?" Lee inquired all of a sudden, and everyone turned to him only to see that he was staring directly at Shikamaru. "It's a little personal, so please, feel free not to answer if you prefer not to. I will not feel offended. Also, I apologize if I sound rude to both of you."

Oh no, for some reason, Hana could not help but fear what was to come.

"How did you manage to ask Temari-san out, Shikamaru-san?"

* * *

A melancholic smile appeared on Hana's face as the girl recalled the way Temari had froze upon hearing Lee's question. She also remembered that Shikamaru had almost fallen off his chair too, and that he had been too flabbergasted to say anything.

And it had also been then that she had forced herself to accept reality...

...To accept the fact her feelings would always be one-sided...

Besides, no matter how she thought about it, Hana knew there was nothing else she could do other than support Shikamaru and Temari's relationship. Regardless of how she could feel, Hana knew deep down that those two deserved each other...that they balanced each other out...

And that was why Hana had always been so firm about hiding her feelings. Yes, true, she had been thinking about disclosing her feelings a while back, but now she was no longer sure about it. Although she was feeling as if she was suffocating...albeit she felt like she would drown if she kept those feelings hidden, Hana was now dreading the possibility of telling Shikamaru about her feelings...

...Especially now that she received such letter.

Opening the letter again, Hana scanned the words that had been scribbled on it. And then, before the girl knew what was going on, she felt a pang of loneliness against her chest, and her eyes tear up almost immediately.

Mechanically, the brunette let go of the letter, and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. There was no way she was going to cry. She refused to do it. In fact, she had no reason to weep; she had decided to let Shikamaru go...she had decided to let him slip through his fingers...

...But then again, it was not as if she had ever had the possibility of staying with him.

_I think I'll make it official._

A sob escaped from Hana's lips when Shikamaru's voice echoed through her mind, and the girl pressed her hands even harder against her eyes when she felt hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Struggling not to make much noise, Hana found herself curling into a ball, her forehead pressed against her raised knees while her hands were still covering her face.

She had missed it...

She had missed her chance...

* * *

"Gardenias..."

A pair of hazel orbs looked up from a book, and turned to look at the silhouette that was lying on the grass, on the right side. His arms were crossed behind his neck, his eyes closed while a ghost of a smile was on his lips.

"Pardon me?"

"Gardenias...it smells of gardenias..." Shikamaru repeated, and Hana blinked before she closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Furrowing, the girl took another gulp of air only to raise an eyebrow moments later.

"I can't smell anything." she declared as she turned to the boy, and rested her book on her legs, but Shikamaru simply kept quiet. Blinking, Hana tilted her head to the side, and observed him for a while longer before she shook her head. "You're so weird."

"That's because you're not paying attention." Shikamaru eventually said, and Hana stared at him in misunderstanding. He still had his eyes closed, and he looked as if he was enjoying himself. "Just take a deep breath, and you'll notice it."

After staring uncertain at him, Hana looked ahead before closing her eyes. After waiting for a few seconds, the girl took a deep breath, and made a face.

"Sorry, I still can't smell it," she confessed, and Shikamaru let out a sigh before he opened his eyes, and stared directly at the clear sky.

"It's fine, I guess." he muttered, and Hana smiled apologetically at him before she looked down at her book. Before she could focus in her reading, though, the lazy boy spoke again. "You know, for some reason, I always remember you whenever I notice this scent."

"Eh?" was Hana's bright reply to that at same time she turned her head in his direction again, and Shikamaru waited for a few seconds before shrugging lightly despite of his pose.

"Yeah, I can't explain it either." he observed, "I blame it on your name."

"My name?" Hana repeated, and Shikamaru finally looked sideways at her before he focused his attention on the clear heavens once again. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I dunno. Like I said, I can't really explain it." Shikamaru responded, and now it was Hana's turn to let out a sigh. "It just reminds me of you, that's all."

"Still, that doesn't really explain why you want to blame my name for it," the medical-nin retorted, but for a long period of time neither of them spoke again. Resigning to the fact she would probably never understand the purpose of their conversation, Hana focused her attention on her book.

And once again, Shikamaru spoke up right when she was just about to be absorbed by what she was studying.

"'Hana' means 'flower' does it not?" Shikamaru asked, and the brunette blinked at his question before she gazed at him. Unsure about what he was going to say next, Hana simply nodded in reply. "And 'Fuzen' stands for 'imperfect', does it not?"

"Yes..." Hana slowly answered, now feeling a little apprehensive about what Shikamaru was trying to say. "Why do you ask?"

"I like your name." Hana sweatdropped at that, "And perhaps that's why I think of you every time I notice the scent of gardenias."

"But you know, there are no gardenias here." the girl pointed out, "So, basically, you shouldn't even been noticing that scent."

"Now that's a fancy way of saying I should have my head examined." Shikamaru muttered, and Hana found herself blushing at his comment. Before she could think of anything to say in her defence, though, the boy stared at her in the eye. "But anyway, what I meant to say is that I associate this fragrance with you. I thought girls enjoyed hearing that sort of stuff."

"We do...when the stuff you say actually makes sense." Hana stated, and Shikamaru sighed deeply. "But it was a nice try. I appreciated the part about my name."

"Right..." Shikamaru mumbled as he continued looking at her, and Hana smiled at him for not knowing what else to do. "Next time remind me not to say anything at all. You, women, are too troublesome."

"Baka..." was all Hana managed to say through her laughter, and Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the word she had used, "You're so silly, Shikamaru-san."

"Should I take that as a compliment?" the boy inquired, still with his eyebrow raised, which caused another fit of giggles. "You know, I really don't understand why you're laughing. You're too confusing for your own good."

"Sorry," Hana apologized, but since she was laughing, she knew Shikamaru would not take her apology seriously. "It's just that...you're so funny..."

"And now I'm funny?" Shikamaru asked before he shook his head, "You troublesome woman..."

"Oh, I know you say that to everyone." Hana said after she managed to calm down, but a wide smile was still gracing her now rosy cheeks, "In fact, I hear you call Temari-san that all the time, so that won't faze me."

"Tsk..."

Smiling at herself, Hana picked her book up again, and started reading it. Since Shikamaru had grown silent as well, Hana guessed that he had probably spotted a cloud somewhere at the horizon, and was now observing it.

Moments later, however, the silence was broken, but this time by a different voice.

"Oi! Sorry we're late!"

Looking up from her book, Hana gazed over her shoulder only to see Choji rushing towards her, Ino following behind, in a slower pace. Smiling back at him, Hana waved at them before she closed her book, and put it on her lap.

"This guy here saw a new cake, and wanted to buy it." Ino explained before someone could say a word, and Choji blushed faintly in embarrassment. "He would have brought the entire place, I tell you, if I hadn't reminded him that you were waiting for us."

"Ah, hey, you also wanted to buy that _manju_ we saw." Choji quickly protested in his self-defence, and Hana gazed sideways at Shikamaru only to see that he was still staring at the sky. Chuckling at his behaviour, the brunette turned to her cousin again.

"What? I can break my diet once in a while, you know? Yes, because unlike you, I know exactly what to do to lose the pounds I can gain with one cake." Ino retorted, and Hana shook her head at the scene in front of her. "And besides, since when do you pay attention to what I do?"

Choji turned red at that question, and Hana looked down in a desperate attempt to hide her smile.

"Man, stop being so troublesome..." Shikamaru finally said as he slowly sat up on the grass, and rested an arm on his raised knee, "I thought we were here to discuss about _Tanabata_."

"Oh, that's right!" Ino exclaimed as she turned away from Choji, and clasped her hands in front of her chest, "We have to decide what we're going to do. I mean, this time I really want to make sure we have fun, and that means no sleeping under a tree or eating all the sweets you can find."

Hana chuckled when both Shikamaru and Choji sighed at that.

"And of course Hana's coming with us!" Ino continued before gazing at Shikamaru, "Did you ask Temari to come as well? I mean, this will be the best opportunity for you to actually do something proper, and confess to her."

"Man, sometimes I wonder if you're planning on becoming a Miu Pao (1)." Shikamaru complained as he dropped his shoulders, and Hana looked away. "And I doubt she'll come. They have their own festival in Sunagakure, and she told me she wants to spend some time with her brothers as well."

"Aw, did I just hear a hint of jealousy?" Ino teased, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Anyway, what were you guys doing up until now? No, wait, let me guess, Shikamaru was sleeping while Hana was reading a book. You guys always do that when you get together. It's so tedious."

"Actually, Shikamaru-san made a few comments about gardenias." Hana stated as she glanced sideways at the Nara boy, who simply shook his head. Ino, in the other hand, raised an eyebrow at that, her hands resting on her hips.

"Gardenias?" she repeated, and Hana gazed at her, and nodded. "Why on earth would Shikamaru mention gardenias?"

"That's none of your business." Shikamaru said before Hana could part her lips, and Ino gazed at him before shaking her head.

"Whatever, you probably were thinking of Temari when you mentioned those flowers anyway." she commented, and Hana stared confusedly at her at those words.

"Why do you say that?" Choji inquired, but Ino simply smiled at him.

"Now that's a secret." she replied, and Hana gazed at Shikamaru in bewilderment before she decided to say something.

"Err...we were talking about doing something for _Tanabata_?" she decided to ask, and Ino's eyes immediately started twinkling in excitement. Then, before someone could even think about saying something, Ino turned to Choji, and started rambling about her ideas for the festival.

"This is going to be so troublesome..." Hana heard Shikamaru mutter under his breath, and she turned to the boy. When he looked back at her, the medical-nin felt her heart skip a beat, but still managed to smile faintly at him.

It was amazing, but even though Ino and Choji were standing behind her, rambling non-stop about what they were going to do for _Tanabata_, Hana could not help but imagine that she was completely alone with Shikamaru. That sensation started coming naturally a couple of months before, and although some could say it was a blessing to be able to ignore everyone but the one you like, Hana could not help but think of it as a curse.

After all, Shikamaru would never be hers...

"Hey, what about you giving us some ideas too?" Ino asked as she turned to her two other friends, and Hana regretfully abandoned her little world to look to her side, and see Ino staring at her. "C'mon, start talking!"

As she heard Shikamaru sigh from behind her, Hana wondered for a second if in the future there would ever be a chance for her to use magpies to create a bridge between her and Shikamaru. However, as soon as that thought crossed her mind, Hana pushed it to the back of her mind; if there was ever to exist a magpies bridge, it would never connect her to Shikamaru.

And that was why Hana, instead of speaking her own ideas for the festival, decided to simply observe her friends and allow her lips to form the smile that would never fall.

* * *

Gasping for air, Hana pushed her hands harder against her eyes, tears still rolling down her pinkish cheeks. Regardless of how hard she was trying, she simply could not stop her tears. Instead, she was focusing all of her strength in trying not to make too much noise.

"Stop..." Hana sobbed, still in the same position, "Stop crying...idiot..."

_"Hana?"_ a voice called out all of a sudden, and the girl froze when someone knocked on the door, _"You there?"_

"Y-Yes?" Hana managed to ask back, ignoring how funny her voice sounded and the way her throat was contracting.

"_Oh, I just wanted to tell you dinner's on the table."_ Cho explained, _"Come eat."_

"Yes, I'll be right there." Hana answered as she run her hands through her cheeks, trying desperately to wipe out any signs that she had been crying. Carefully, the girl tried her best to listen to her aunt's footsteps, and it was only when she was sure that no one was close to her bedroom, that Hana got up from her bed.

As she waved her hands in front of her face in an urgent attempt to refresh herself, Hana stared down at her bed, and felt her heart squeeze when her eyes landed on the letter.

_I think I'll make it official._

Closing her eyes, Hana took a deep breath, and dropped her arms to her sides. Perhaps it was indeed time for her to put an end to all that. Maybe it was indeed time for her to make it official as well...

Perhaps...

"_Oi Hana!" _Choji's voice echoed throughout the bedroom, and the girl stared at the door when she heard two knocks, _"C'mon! Dinner's growing cold!"_

"Yes!" the girl answered back as she made her way towards the door, and when she opened it, Hana was surprised by her cousin's wide smile. "Sorry, I was sleeping."

"Yeah, you do look a little tired." Choji pointed out, his smile diminishing a little bit, "But c'mon, I'm sure mom's food will give you all the energy that you need!"

"Okay..." Hana answered with a small smile, since she could not help but find her cousin's actions extremely cute, and before she knew it, Choji was extending his arm in her direction. Still smiling, the girl took her cousin's arm.

"This way, my lady," Choji said, and Hana giggled at his formal tone before squeezing the boy's arm with her free hand.

"Thank you, my good sir." she said back, not only thanking for Choji's actions, but also for making her laugh. After all, even though he only believed that she was tired, Hana knew he was still worried about her, and that making her laugh was the only thing he could do at the moment.

"Hey, did you smell that just now?"

"What?" Hana asked as she stared at her cousin.

"I dunno if it has anything to do with the fact I was just with Shikamaru, but I could swear that for a second I detected the fragrance of gardenias in the air." Choji pointed out, and Hana blinked at that.

_You know, for some reason, I always remember you whenever I notice this scent._

"But maybe I imagined it." Choji continued, "I mean, when I was with Shikamaru, he mentioned that he had noticed that scent too."

Gardenias...

"Yeah, maybe you imagined it." Hana answered, her mind still focused in what Shikamaru had told her.

_I like your name. And perhaps that's why I think of you every time I notice the scent of gardenias._

...Perhaps, instead of a bridge created by magpies, there would always be a bridge of gardenias connecting her to Shikamaru...

_Whatever, you probably were thinking of Temari when you mentioned those flowers anyway._

_Why do you say that?  
_

_Now that's a secret._

And for a split of a second, Hana could not help but wish she knew the meaning behind the gardenia flower. But then again, maybe it would be better if she did not; after all, that was probably going to become something that belonged only to Shikamaru and Temari...

...Something that would forever be cherished by the two of them.

"Hey, you okay?" Choji asked all of a sudden, and Hana snapped back from her thoughts only to notice that they were standing by the door of the kitchen. "You looked a little sad a minute ago."

"Oh no, everything's fine." Hana answered with a smile on her lips, and she gently let go of her cousin's arm, "Sorry for worrying you."

And even though it hurt her to say those words, Hana knew she was right. She was going to be okay...regardless if it was going to take a lot of her, Hana knew she would eventually be free of her feelings for Shikamaru.

And also, Hana knew that in the future she would eventually be able to notice the scent of gardenias and think of Shikamaru without feeling her heart shattering.

**To Be Continued...**

And well, here it is, Shikamaru and Hana's filler. I hope you guys liked it, despite of everything. If you still have doubts, please, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer all of your questions.

* * *

1 - According to the Chinese pinyin, Miu Pao is a term that labels a middle-aged woman who match-makes people for a living.


	42. Welcome Home

**Disclaimer: **_Masashi Kishimoto _is the creator of _**Naruto**__. Maresia Eterna _is the creator of _the plot _and_ of her own Original Characters._

**---**

**Authoress Note: **Although I am positive some people will want to murder me after they read this note, I still am willing to take the risk, and warn everyone that this is Welcome Home's _**last**_ **chapter**. And before you say anything, yes, I know this sounds abrupt, especially since this follows a filler, but you have not read it wrong. This chapter is going to put an end to the biggest story I have every written so far.

And what journey it was. When I posted the first chapter, back in January, I never thought it would take me almost one year to complete it. In fact, I never, not even in my wildest dreams, pondered about the possibility of having so many people reading this story.

And that is why I want to thank everyone who stuck around, to see this story development. I know some of you did not agree with Hinata's growth, and I am aware that some of you wanted to just exterminate my Original Character, Fuzen Hana, on the spot, but I want to thank you for sticking around despite all that.

You guys were amazing. All of you helped me to keep on going...to keep on writing, and I am really happy to see that all my effort paid off.

I really wanted to write more...I truly wanted to say more, but somehow I have the feeling you guys already know everything. I really hope everyone enjoys this last chapter. As you know, I am planning a sequel for Welcome Home. Even though I have been unable to work on it, I can tell you straight away that it is going to be shorter than Welcome Home. The title has been decided, though, and the sequel shall be named: I Am Home.

Anyway, I have rambled enough so I will finish this long note of mine with a: muito obrigada. Thank you very much.

---

**Chapter 41**

_Welcome Home  
_

For a moment, all he did was stare at the woman in front of him, who was busy studying the report he had just given to her. She looked tired, exhausted even, but she still managed to keep her indomitable and authoritative posture. She was someone who knew what she wanted to do, and made no effort to hide her objectives from anyone.

And that was why so many people tended to follow her example.

"So, I take it the reconstruction has started." Tsunade spoke up after a few minutes in silence, and she slowly looked up from the report. "Ibiki informed me that everything was going all right. I believe this means you'll be returning to your house soon."

"I will return as soon as my parents' house is rebuilt." Sasuke informed with a faint nod, and Tsunade stared at him in the eye. It was easy to spot the question the Hokage was silently asking him in the depths of her golden orbs, "I will not return to that place as it is."

"That, of course, is your own decision to make." Tsunade responded as she put the report down, "But you do realize it is going to take a while until the Uchiha Compound is completely restored. Where will you be living until then? Are you going to stay with Kakashi?"

"No, I will return to the Compound." Sasuke corrected her, "I will not go back to my parents house, but I will still return to that place nonetheless. There are residences that can be used until the reconstruction is finished."

"Does it not bother you?" Tsunade inquired all of a sudden, but Sasuke did not even blink, "Does the thought of going back to the Uchiha Compound all by yourself not bother you at all? Especially since we're all aware of the history behind your Clan."

"Someone once said that 'he who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future'." Sasuke quoted, but Tsunade simply continued looking directly at him, "I witnessed the past, I lived it, and even though it took me a while, I managed to control it to some extent. Now, it is time for me to control the present."

"And the future?" Tsunade questioned as she rested her chin on her entwined fingers, but Sasuke did not even show a hint of confusion before answering that question.

"The future is something I shall allow to happen spontaneously." he responded, and Tsunade stared at him directly in the eye, "It was already hard to deal with the past, and accept it. All of my memories helped me to realize that you should neither live for the past or for the future. You should enjoy the present as it is."

"So, you will be moving in all by yourself." Tsunade questioned, though it sounded more like a statement, and this time, Sasuke nodded faintly in reply. "I understand, but remember; you don't have to go there, and live a lonely life just because you feel like that's a punishment you deserve."

Even though he did not blink at that observation, the truth was exactly in one, slightly twisted way, Sasuke felt like it was his duty to go to the Uchiha's Compound, and stay there. He did not plan to become a prisoner inside his own Compound, but still that did not change the fact he still felt like that was something he had to do.

"I expect to see a report about the reconstruction every week, on my desk." Tsunade continued, and once again, all Sasuke did was nod lightly in response. "Also, I think I should remind you that although you want to stay in the Uchiha Compound, there may be certain people who will try to change your mind."

"I will deal with those in due time." Sasuke promptly retorted, almost as if he had been waiting for that observation to be made, and Tsunade leaned against the back of her chair. "Am I excused?"

"Yes," Tsunade responded as she nodded, and Sasuke bowed slightly before turning around, and make his way towards the door of the office. When he was just about to rest his hand on the doorknob, though, the Godaime spoke up again, "I hope you know that you were freed because of Naruto."

Silently, Sasuke looked over his shoulder, and Tsunade smiled at him before she crossed her arms against her chest.

"I know you noticed it already. You wouldn't be a genius if you hadn't. The ANBU team was dismissed." she continued, and Sasuke turned to his side without breaking the eye-contact, "And you have Naruto to thank for. He was the one who said that you were not to be treated as a criminal, and that you, like many others, deserved a second chance."

Sasuke said nothing, and Tsunade continued.

"And I'm sure Sakura would have agreed with that, had she known about Naruto's declaration."

Sasuke did not say anything. Instead, he simply bowed lightly again before he turned to the door, and opened it. Then, as silent as a ghost, he walked out of the office, silently closing the door behind him.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, various pairs of eyes turned his way…Eyes that Sasuke gracefully ignored as he made his way through the Hokage's building in direction of the main doors. He had grown used to people watching him...he knew it was going to take a long time until people finally forgave what he had done in the past. That if they ended up forgiving him at all.

For a split of a second, Sasuke wondered if what he was thinking right on that moment had ever crossed Naruto's mind during his childhood.

After a couple of minutes later, Sasuke was standing outside the Hokage's building, with his back turned to the front doors. He could still feel some eyes on him, but the Uchiha ignored all of that attention by continuing with his walk towards the Uchiha Compound...

...A walk that was interrupted as soon as Sasuke turned on a corner, and found himself staring at a certain pink haired girl, who was making her way out of the library.

Without thinking about what he was doing, Sasuke concealed himself behind a pole, and observed as Sakura stopped by the stairs that lead to the library to speak to another female ninja. During that period of time, the young man just watched as his team mate talked and laughed. He even took in the way she gestured at certain times as if to give emphasis to what she was saying.

And then he remembered what Sakura had told him before he had abandoned Konohagakure.

"_I love you!"_

Sasuke had never known how he was supposed to react to those words. Love had never been something he had needed...in fact; he had never ached for it. The last time he had felt something remotely close to love had been towards his mother. But still, Sasuke knew that what he had felt towards his mother was entirely different from what Sakura professed to feel for him.

As he continued to observe what was happening not too far from his position, Sasuke pondered about what had happened in the past in about what could happen in the present. He had never truly bothered himself to think about what or how much Sakura meant to him, although the girl never once bothered to hide what he meant for her.

In fact, in the past, Sasuke had found her feelings to be quite bothersome, but now...now Sasuke was not sure. Of course he was never going to openly admit that he was not certain about something, but after his stay back in the security-prison, and after learning about everything Naruto and the others had done to make sure he returned to Konoha...

It was then that Sasuke noticed Sakura waving a hand in goodbye before she started walking towards him. She was pressing two books against her chest while a faint smile was on her lips. She had changed, and Sasuke knew it. There was no way he could just try and deny the fact that Haruno Sakura was not the same girl he had last seen before leaving the village.

Back then, back to the time when they had been but children, Sakura had been nothing more than a little girl, who struggled to gain his affections. Yet after so many years, Sakura had finally grown into a young woman who was certain of what she wanted. She had bloomed into a strong and reliable woman...

It was only when Sakura was stepping in front of him, still completely oblivious of his presence that Sasuke snapped from his reverie. Without thinking about what he was doing, Sasuke gave on step forward, and abandoned the shadows as his eyes followed the girl's silhouette.

"Sakura..."

The girl stopped as soon as her whispered name reached her ears. Confusedly, she looked over her shoulder, and Sasuke watched as her eyes widened in realization.

"Sasuke-kun!" the pink haired girl exclaimed in surprise at same time she twirled around, but the Uchiha did not move an inch. "I didn't even notice you were there! Did something happen? Did Naruto annoy you again?"

Sasuke did not know what lead him to ask the question he uttered next. He guessed it was one of those moments when the body appears to move faster than thoughts, making it too late for him to regret the words that quickly escape from his lips.

"Come with me."

Curious enough, the silence that followed his order was anything but uncomfortable. Instead, Sakura simply tilted her head to the same as she continued walking towards him, an eyebrow raised in suspicion. She was still pressing her books against her chest.

"And where are we going?" she inquired, but Sasuke did not even blink. Instead, and much for Sakura's embarrassment, the girl's stomach took the cue, and roared in hunger. Arching an eyebrow, Sasuke continued staring at Sakura, who blushed as a reaction to that awkward moment.

"You like _anmitsu_, correct?" Sasuke questioned as he folded his arms against his chest, and when the girl looked at him with a surprised mask on her face, the Uchiha had to stop himself from smirking. Then, without saying another word, Sasuke walked past Sakura only to look over his shoulder, at the girl.

"Y-You...how do you know that?" Sakura asked, and this time, Sasuke did allow for the corner of his lips to curl upwards into a knowing smirk. Still flabbergasted, Sakura increased her grip on her books before she rushed after Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun, wait for me!"

And even though he did not stop walking, Uchiha Sasuke did just that.

* * *

Faint raindrops were running down the window as a rather strong wind continued howling outside. The grey clouds had appeared from the horizon, and had steadily made their way towards Konohagakure where they had decided to settle down, and simply cry out.

And it seemed that their tears were going to fall for a long time...

Sighing, Hana looked away from the window, and sat down on her bed before she reached out for the letter that had been placed in the middle of the mattress. Carefully, Hana read its contents all over again, but before she could even think about finish her reading, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." Hana said as she folded the letter, and hid it inside the drawer of her bedside table.

It only took a few seconds for the door of the bedroom to be open and for a familiar voice to echo through the room.

"I'm sorry for coming here without any warning."

"Hina-chan!" Hana exclaimed as she practically jumped off her bed, and rushed to her friend's side. "You're soaked! Don't tell me you didn't even bring an umbrella!"

Before Hinata had time to speak up, Hana walked out of the room, and made her way towards the bathroom. After taking a dry towel, Hana returned to her bedroom, and handed the fluffy material to her friend.

"Use this. And take off your jacket; it's wet. I'll give you one of mine."

"Ne, Hana-chan, you don't have to worry about me." Hinata started to say as she reached out for the towel, "My clothes are fine; it's not raining that hard."

"Just take your coat off, please; I don't want you getting sick." Hana ordered as she opened her closet, "And please, dry your hair as well."

With a faint nod, Hinata approached the bed, and took of her jacket. Then, with gentle movements, she started cleaning her face with the towel before she decided to rest it on her shoulders, underneath her damp tresses.

"So, what brought you here?" Hana decided to ask as she put a dry coat on her bed, next to Hinata's, and her friend stopped arranging the towel for a second before she looked down. "Does it have anything to do with Naruto-kun?"

"Yes..." Hinata answered a little dejectedly, and Hana tilted her head slightly to the side, "I... I mean, Sasuke-san and I actually talked to my father today, to persuade him to annul the engagement, and Naruto-kun showed up..."

"Really?" Hana asked a hint of disbelief on her voice, "What happened? Did your father accept to annul the engagement?"

"Yes..." Hinata hesitated about proceeding, and Hana raised an eyebrow slightly at the hesitation. "He really did not have much of a choice when Naruto-kun showed up with another contract."

"Eh? There was another contract?" Hana gasped, her eyes widening a little bit, and once again Hinata nodded before she crossed her arms against her chest, "But then...that means..."

"Yes, Naruto-kun...his contract was the real contract..." Hinata continued Hana's trail of thought as she raised her eyes to stare at her friend, "Sasuke-san's contract was a copy of the one my father held in his possession, but Naruto's...it was real."

"What happened next?" Hana asked, and Hinata looked away.

"Naruto-kun...he...." the Hyuuga paused for a moment before she let out a sigh, and look at her friend again, "He said that he would never force me to marry him, and...he ripped the contract...in front of all of us..."

"Oh my!" Hana gasped as she raised a hand to her lips, "But then that means that you were supposed to get engaged to Naruto-kun! What did you do after he ripped the contract?"

"I went after him..." Hinata confessed, and Hana noticed the pink shade that conquered her friend's pale cheeks as she recalled the moment. Then, before she could stop herself, the medical-nin gave one step forward, and reached out for Hinata's hands.

"But Hina-chan, regardless if he ripped the contract or not, don't you think it's time for you to be honest with him?" Hana asked as she stared at her friend in the eye, "In fact, if you think about it, when he ripped the contract apart and said that he refused to let you marry him because of a contract, Naruto-kun showed how much he respects you."

"I...I actually went to find him, and...." Hinata licked her lips, "I kind of told that I'd like to...know him better..."

"Then, what are you doing here?" Hana inquired all of a sudden, the Hyuuga heiress blinked at the question. "You should be fighting with all your might! Hina-chan, if you love Naruto-kun as deeply as I know you do, then go! Go chase after him!"

"But—"

"You don't have to be afraid anymore!" Hana interrupted her, and Hinata widened her eyes at that, "Your engagement to Sasuke-san is off! You're finally free to do what you want to do so, please, Hina-chan, don't wait! Don't wait or it might be too late!"

"Hana-chan..."

_"Hana!" _a voice called out all of a sudden, and the two girls turned to the door of the bedroom only to see it being opened by non-other than Choji himself, "Hana! It's Shikamaru! He's leaving for Sunagakure right now!"

"Eh?" was all Hana managed to let out at same time she dropped Hinata's hands, and when Choji nodded, the brunette stared at her female friend. A sad smile suddenly graced her features, and Hana reached out for Hinata's arm, silently telling her friend to look her way.

"Ne, Hina-chan," the medical-nin started, and Hinata gazed at her, "Trust me when I say this; don't wait for too long because if you do, then the chance of him still being available will grow slim."

With that said, Hana turned to her cousin, and nodded.

"Please, excuse me."

With those words, Hana rushed past Hinata and Choji, and left the bedroom as quickly as she could.

In a matter of minutes, Hana was running through the streets of Konoha, ignoring completely the fact that the rain was now falling harder then before. Looking around, the medical-nin pushed her wet locks away from her eyes before she decided to rush in direction of the village's West Gates.

Clenching her hands as she ran, Hana forced her legs to move faster. Quickly, she brushed her hair away from her face again, and felt her breath get stuck on her throat when the gates appeared in front of her.

Overlooking her burning lungs and aching muscles, Hana kept the same pace until her eyes landed on the figures that were slowly making their way out of the village. It was only when her eyes found the person she had been looking for, though, that Hana stopped her tracks, and took a deep breath.

"Shikamaru-san!" Hana shouted at same time the wind blew harder, swallowing her words. Clenching her hands into tighter fists, Hana tried again, "Shikamaru-san!"

When, once more, the wind devoured her voice, Hana decided to run after the boy. It was only when she was standing a few feet away from the Gates that the brunette tried again.

"Shikamaru!"

As soon as the name escaped from her lips, the wind died down. Even the downpour appeared to call down to some extent, but all that went unnoticed as Hana nervously waited for Shikamaru to look over his shoulder.

When their eyes finally met, Hana let out a shaky breath. Temari, who was standing next to the Nara boy, also turned to her side while holding an umbrella over her head.

"Hana? What are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked, a confused expression on his face, and the brunette smiled sadly at his question.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?" she asked back, but the boy did not answer. Hana, at his silence, decided to continue, "I'm really sorry for interrupting your journey, but there's something I need to tell you...in private."

Glancing at the girl next to him, Shikamaru nodded.

"Mind giving us two minutes?"

"Fine," was all Temari said before she walked away. It was only after she was gone that Shikamaru turned to Hana again, and rested his hands inside his pants' pockets.

"Listen, if this is about me leaving the village without informing you then let me tell you that I didn't do it because I'll be back in three days." Shikamaru explained, and once again Hana smiled sadly at him before she shook her head.

"Actually, I won't be here when you return." she announced, and Shikamaru blinked in confusion, "You see, I received a letter from my mother a couple of days ago, and I'm to return to Takigakure tomorrow. My father and a friend of mine were injured on a mission."

"Hana..."

"To be honest, I was planning to go today, but I still have a few things to take care of at the hospital," the brunette proceeded, ignoring the way Shikamaru had uttered her name, "And there's also another thing I need to tell you before I go."

"There's more?" Shikamaru asked, and Hana started chewing her lower lip before nodding. "What happened?"

"I..." Hana paused for a moment before she crossed her arms against her chest when a cold breeze blew from north, "If there was something I learnt from Hina-chan was that you shouldn't be afraid of speaking your thoughts, and so...well, I..."

At Shikamaru's inquisitive gaze, Hana stopped talking, and looked down at her feet before she started chewing on her lower lip again. Curious, when had the rain stopped? Hana had not even noticed when the raindrops had faded away...

"Shikamaru," another female voice spoke all of a sudden, and Hana closed her eyes. "We have to go. We have lost too much time."

"Yeah, yeah, just a sec," Shikamaru answered as he looked behind him, right at Temari, "Give us another minute."

"I..." Hana tried again as she raised her head, and she felt a lump form on her throat when Temari walked away, this time brushing past Shikamaru. They looked perfect for each other... "I just...since I won't be here when you return, I felt like I had to be honest and...and..."

As Hana trailed off, Temari glanced at Shikamaru with a serious frown on her face.

"Listen, I know we're late. Just give us one more minute." the Nara said, but the ninja from Suna said nothing in return. Instead, Temari simply walked away, leaving Shikamaru and Hana alone once again. Shaking his head, Shikamaru turned to the brunette again, "Hana, w—"

"Shikamaru, I love you." Hana blurted out, and the boy widened his eyes in complete shock. Hana, on the other hand, bit her lower lip before she closed her hands into tight fists. "I-I love you, Shikamaru, and I...I just wanted to tell you that before I left."

* * *

"_I really miss...being your flatmate. I hope that one day we'll be able to spend some time together again and also... Although I am happy for not having to marry Sasuke-kun, I...I...I hope that one day we'll find the time to get to know each other better because I would really like that."_

Sighing, Naruto run his hand through his wide locks, and stared down at his feet. He was currently standing on top of the Hokage's Monument, more exactly on top of his father's head. One day had passed ever since he had heard Hinata's voice, and one day had passed ever since he started to think about the girl's words.

He had never planned to not open the door to Hinata, but on the last minute he had decided against. Instead, he had sat down, and leaned his back against the front door. He had closed his eyes as soon as the girl had started speaking, and had opened them when he had felt Hinata leave.

To not chase after her had been a very tough decision to him.

"Ah, I bet I look like an idiot." Naruto muttered to himself as he ran his fingers through his blond tresses one more time, and he then glared at the top of his father's head. "Man, was it this hard for you too? I mean, how did you know that mum was the one?"

"That depends on each person." a voice said all of a sudden, and Naruto looked behind him only to blush lightly in embarrassment when his eyes found a pair of mismatched ones, "Each person has its own way of finding out who's the one they want to cherish."

"Eh, how long have you been there?" Naruto asked as he tried to mask his awkwardness by crossing his arms against his chest, "Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop?"

"I apologize, but I didn't plan to overhear your monologue." Mesi responded as she continued walking towards the boy, a smile on her face, "However, when I saw you here, I thought you'd most likely be thinking about the traineeship."

"Ah, that..." Naruto said before he made a face, and Mesi smiled slightly at his behaviour, "No, I was actually thinking about...err...someone..."

"Is that someone a certain heiress from a certain Clan?" the woman decided to ask as she clasped her hands behind her back, and Naruto immediately felt his cheeks warming up. And that, much for his horror, was something that did not go unnoticed, "Ah-ah, it seems to me that I am correct."

"No, I was not thinking about Hinata." Naruto retorted only to wince when the name of the girl he had been thinking about escaped from his lips. Mesi, on the other hand, revealed a mock surprise as she raised a hand to her lips.

"Oh my, you were thinking about Hyuuga Hinata? Now that's a shock."

"Ah man, quit teasing me." Naruto groaned tiredly, and once again Mesi smiled amusedly at his antics. "If you want to help me, fine, go ahead, but if all you want is to tease me, then please..."

"Sorry, I just thought you looked cute." Mesi confessed, and Naruto froze at her choice of words. Had she just said he had looked cute? Since when did Mesi even have that word in her dictionary?

"Now that was plain scary." Naruto said as he backed away, and Mesi raised an eyebrow at his antics, "Since when do you even use the word _cute_? Is there something going on? Are you ill or something?"

"I blame the hormones." Mesi promptly retorted, and Naruto titled his head to the side in confusion. At his perplexed stare, the woman decided to wave a hand as if to dismiss the current topic, "Anyway, we were talking about you thinking about Hyuuga Hinata."

"Ah, please, drop that subject already!" Naruto requested in a loud voice, his whole face now glowing a deep shade of red, "Why should I tell you anything? It's not as if you'll be able to help me, so just forget it!"

"I never said I was going to help you," Mesi stated as she crossed her arms against her chest, and Naruto looked away, trying his best to ignore his burning cheeks, "However, I thought that perhaps I could give you an advice or two. But, if you don't want it, then fine, I'll just leave you alone."

Silently, Naruto stared at Mesi through the corner of his eyes, and watched as she turned her back to him. She had just given two steps forward when Naruto looked away, and let out an inaudible sigh. Then, he crossed his arms against his chest.

"What do you think I should do?" he asked, and Mesi stopped her tracks before she looked over her shoulder, and Naruto stared down at his feet. "I mean...what do you think I should do about...well, Hinata and...her father?"

"Just do what you always do; face the problem head on." Mesi declared, and Naruto blinked at that, "I hardly doubt you'll back off just because this is Hiashi we're talking about. I mean, you never gave up until you found a way to bring Uchiha back to Konoha, and you put your life at risk while doing so. I'm sure that convincing Hiashi that you're the best there is won't be much of a trouble for you."

"Although that might sound reassuring, it's not." Naruto said as he shook his head, "I mean; this is Hiashi we're talking about. That guy just hates me! And besides, I kind of told him I'd never let Hinata marry me because she deserves someone better than me."

As soon as those words escaped his lips, and before Naruto could even comprehend what was going on, Mesi appeared in front of him, and punched him on top of his head.

"Ow! Hey, what's that all about?" Naruto hissed as he rubbed his abused head at same time he winced in pain, and Mesi glared at him before she folded her arms against her chest one more time.

"You're an idiot." she pointed out, and Naruto continued rubbing the top of his skull, "You know what? Just forget about Hinata. What's the point in trying to support you when you're so stupid? You're clearly Kakashi's student."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked as he dropped his hand, and Mesi shook her head.

"Listen, and make sure you pay attention to what I am going to tell you because I won't say it again." the woman ordered, and the boy immediately nodded in understanding. "If you like Hinata, then go for it. Even if people tell you that is impossible, if you want to be with her then do something about it. Don't wait for her to do something because that's not going to happen."

"Eh? Why not?"

"Does she even know that you like her?" Mesi asked back, and Naruto parted his lips to speak when the woman's voice hit him straight on the heart. Instantaneously, the boy grabbed the front of his jacket, and felt his blood rushing at full speed towards his cheeks.

"L-Like her?" he repeated, and when Mesi nodded, Naruto almost swore the world spun around him. "A-Ah, I-I don't like her. I-I...I just care for her as a friend, and...and..."

"Oh dear, you're so hopeless..." Mesi interrupted Naruto's ramble, and the boy looked away, his face bright red once again. "First of all, don't let time go by without doing anything. If you take too long to act then it may be too late. Someone can show up, and take Hinata away."

"What? Who would ever do that?"

"Just shut up, and listen." Mesi ordered, a stern mask on her face, and Naruto immediately nodded. "Secondly, you'll deal with Hiashi when time comes. But first, make sure you and Hinata know where you two stand."

"But..."

"And thirdly," Mesi proceeded, and Naruto closed his mouth, "About your father...he just knew your mother was the one for him. No matter how hard you try to explain it, the truth is that there's no logic in love so don't try to figure it out."

Fifteen minutes after his conversation with Mesi, Uzumaki Naruto could be spotted making his way towards his temporary home. Mesi's words were swirling around inside his head, along with his own thoughts, but there had been one particular question that had confused Naruto.

"_Does she even know that you like her?"_

For Naruto the correct question would be; do you even know that you like her? But then again, not even that question appeared to be accurate for him. After all, he had never thought about Hinata that way. Sure he had told Hiashi he would never force his older daughter to marry him, but still to go that far...

"Ah man..." Naruto groaned as he covered his face with a hand, his feet still leading him to his house, "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Meow..."

Dropping his hand, Naruto found himself staring at the staircase that led to his apartment. And on top of the stairs was a familiar white cat moving its tail around as it stared back at Naruto.

"Ah, you're back." Naruto stated as he started going up the stairs, but the cat did not even move. Instead, it simply meowed again, and the boy smiled faintly at it. "C'mon, I think I may have some leftovers from today's lunch."

Scoping the cat in his arms, Naruto made his way towards the front door of the apartment. Gently, he put the cat down after opening the door, but before Naruto could even think about taking his shoes off, the cat run off in direction of the kitchen.

"Hey, wait up!" Naruto called-out, and it was then that he noticed the fragrance that was coming from the kitchen. For a moment, the boy just sniffled the air, a finger resting on his lower lip, and Naruto reflexively gave one step forward.

It smelled of...

"Rice omelette..." Naruto muttered to himself, and ignoring the fact he still had his shoes on, the boy slowly made his way towards the kitchen. There was supposed to be no aroma floating around in his house, mostly because he had not prepared anything for dinner so why...?

Carefully, Naruto peeked inside the kitchen, and his eyes widened when he saw the white cat sitting next to someone's feet. Silently, Naruto started gazing upwards, and his mouth dropped when his eyes fell upon a pale face.

"H-Hi..."

It was then that one pair of pallid lavender orbs turned his way, and as soon as their eyes met, Naruto lost his balance, and fell onto the floor. Smiling faintly at his antics, Hyuuga Hinata turned his way, a faint blush now tainting her cheeks; in her hands was a plate filled with two rice omelettes.

"Naruto-kun," the girl called out in her tranquil voice, and Naruto stared at her in the eye, surprise and shock written all over his face. Elegantly, Hinata's smile grew wider, and the girl continued, "Welcome home."

* * *

**FIM!**

And that was it everyone. With this chapter I put to an end the longest story I have ever written, with its 320 pages (if I am not mistaken). Thank you very much for sticking around, and we shall see each others again (or so I hope) when I Am Home is finally posted.

Thank you for all of your support!!!

Muito Obrigada!

Maresia Eterna

**26/10/09**


	43. Information to the Readers

Hello everyone!

Although I am not entirely sure someone will actually read this message, I still decided to leave it here just in case.

I Am Home has finally been published. Sorry it took so much time to post it, but I had some difficulty choosing the plot. In the end, and due to some scenes that were written in Welcome Home, I decided to add Sabaku no Gaara, and I must say I am rather excited about the sequel now.

The main pairings will be Naruto x Hinata and Gaara x OC.

I hope everyone enjoys the new story.

Thank you so much for your attention!

_**Maresia Eterna**_


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